Maher Wins, Corbin Loses In Nassau Primaries

Well, no surprises there.

On a pretty unspectacular primary day on Long Island, most incumbents won their elections handily, and two candidates who are currently facing criminal charges and possible jail time have seemingly been ushered out of their political career.

In Nassau, Legislator Roger Corbin (D-Westbury), who is under federal indictment for allegedly using public funds for his personal use, lost his bid to once again run to represent the 2nd Legislative District to challenger Robert Troiano, who is a North Hempstead Town Councilman.

Troiano beat Corbin, a seven-term elected official, with more than two-thirds of the vote in the district.
Corbin could not be reached at press time.

There was really only one result that slightly raised an eyebrow, and it might have more to do about how the Nassau Democratic Party will handle the unlikely victory of Patricia Maher after she defeated Stephanie Ovadia in the Democratic primary for the Nassau legislative seat currently held by Republican incumbent Norma Gonsalves (R-East Meadow).

Maher, who is employed as the Director Development and Community Relations for the Epilepsy Foundation of Long Island, had a public war with Nassau Democratic Chairman Jay Jacobs during the primary. Jacobs backed this week’s primary loser Ovadia, a local attorney, in the fight.

Now, Maher will have to build a bridge back to Jacobs if the party has any hope in unseating the popular Gonsalves in the 13th Legislative District. And she needs money.

“It’s one thing to get 400 votes and win a small primary, but its another to get 7,000 in a general election” says one Democratic source. “[Maher] needs to raise a lot of money to prove she is a viable candidate. Jay is not about to fight for her unless she can win, and that is going to take some real money.”

“But Pat is a tenacious worker, and she can make it a race,” says the source.

During the campaign, Maher accused Jacobs of using negative, misleading information in mail pieces that said she was a Republican. Maher was a Republican, but the mailer reflected a registration that is over 20 years old. She has been a member of the Democratic party since 2000, and a committee member since 2001.

Maher knows that fundraising is the key to a better relationship with the party.

“Money talks,” says Maher. “[Political] parties pay attention to a candidate who can raise money.”

Maher is also well known in her hometown of East Meadow, and says she was surprised at how often she was recognized when she went door to door.

Maher says she is looking forward to the race against Gonsalves, and thinks it won’t be negative.

“People wanted to talk about issues when I spoke to them, not the negative things,” says Maher. “They need to know what you will do for them. The negative literature the party used in this race was too much for a small race. It turned people off.”

Maher, who won with 52 percent of the vote, says Jacobs did call to congratulate her on the win. Representatives of the Nassau Democratic Party did not return calls for comment from the Press.

In a Suffolk legislative primary, former Legis. George Guldi tried to get back in the game, despite being charged recently in connection with a massive mortgage fraud scheme. Guldi, a former Suffolk legislator known for bombastic behavior in the past, challenged Suffolk lawmaker and former East Hampton Supervisor Jay Schneiderman (I-Montauk) for the Democratic line in the upcoming election. Guldi lost the primary, claiming he will return after he successfully beats the charges connected to the $82-million scheme.