Zebrowski, Brabenec, Fonvil, Cuomo take September primaries, Wieder narrowly defeated

BY MICHAEL RICONDA

NEW CITY – In this year’s round of primaries, incumbents in Clarkstown and Spring Valley made a strong showing, winning victories over opponents as Cuomo and his running mate came out on top against their more progressive challengers.

In Spring Valley, Village Trustee Vilair Fonvil decisively beat opponent Chrispin Eugene, winning 710 votes to Eugene’s 497. The two were tied on both the Conservative and Working Families lines.

The win is a major victory or Fonvil, who has been leading a board insurgency against Mayor Demeza Delhomme. The mayor and board have been at odds since Delhomme’s election and a subsequent string of unilateral decisions they perceive to be illegal and dismissive of the elected body’s authority.

Meanwhile, David J. Stein successflly defended his Town Justice seat against Christine A. Theodore, earning 3,107 votes to Theodore’s 2,256.

On the state level, Governor Andrew Cuomo and Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul sealed their places as the Democratic candidates for the gubernatorial race, winning over Progressive challengers Zephyr Teachout and Timothy Wu. Cuomo received 329,435 votes to Teachout’s 181,855, while Hochul received 303,210 to Wu’s 203,401. The Teachout/Wu ticket was initially seen as a protest campaign but ultimately put forward a surprisingly strong showing, winning many upstate counties. Teachout was bolstered by Cuomo’s Moreland Commission scandal and his refusal to debate.

Meanwhile, the candidacy for Assembly seats in the 96th and 98th Districts were up for grabs. In the 96th District, current Assemblyman Ken Zebrowski handily defeated challenger P.T. Thomas, with Zebrowski winning 3,772 votes to Thomas’ 1,240. Zebrowski will face Republican challenger Matthew Brennan in November’s general elections.

In the 98th District where former Assemblywoman Annie Rabbitt’s vacant seat was up for grabs, the results were much closer. Though County Legislator Aron Wieder won 73.38 percent of the votes in Rockland County and defeated opponents Elisa Tutini and Krysal Serrano in local polls, he lost narrowly to Tutini when results from Orange County were factored in. Ultimately, Tutini won 1,141 votes to Wieder’s 1,034.

Tutini will face Republican and former Deerpark mayor Karl A. Brabenec in the general election for the seat. Brabenec won 1,759 votes in a crowded race against Daniel Castricone, Michael Morgillo and Kevin Hudson. Brabenec’s win reflects the influence of Kiryas Joel in Orange County. Both Brabenec and Tutini are supported by Kiryas Joel’s leadership, even as they are poised to face off in November.

Castricone, a former Orange County Legislator, lost the Conservative line against Brabenec. However, he will still be running against them on the United Monroe line, which opposes of Kiryas Joel’s expansion efforts.

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