Laura Gillen declares victory in tight NY-4 race while GOP incumbent refuses to concede

Democrat Laura Gillen declared triumph pinch only a constrictive separator early Wednesday — while first-term Republican Rep. Anthony D’Esposito refused to concede nan title for his Long Island legislature seat.

Gillen led pinch 182,506 votes to D’Esposito’s 176,426 pinch 98% of districts reporting, preliminary tallies from Tuesday’s predetermination show.

“It’s clip to move a caller leaf,” Gillen said, declaring triumph astatine nan Nassau County Democratic watch party. “It’s clip to get Congress backmost to activity again for mundane people. It’s clip to extremity pointing fingers and commencement getting nan activity done and reaching crossed nan aisle and solving nan problems that we request solved.

“I look guardant to humbly serving each constituent of this territory It doesn’t matter if you’re an R aliases a D aliases an I, I’m present to activity for each of you.”

Minutes earlier, D’Esposito — a retired NYPD bull — refused to telephone it, telling his supporters from nan Nassau County Republicans watch statement that, “we knew this was gonna beryllium a reliable race.”

Rep. Anthony D’Esposito sought a 2nd word successful Congress. Getty Images

“We are fresh to spell to nan mat and I americium hopeful that arsenic soon arsenic we get nan results, location will proceed to beryllium a Republican representing nan Fourth Congressional District,” he said earlier stepping disconnected stage.

Chair of nan New York State Democratic Committee Jay Jacobs brushed disconnected D’Esposito refusal to concede arsenic “on brand” for nan politician.

“I understand look it’s difficult to suffer a legislature spot connected a quality level I consciousness severely for him but astatine nan extremity of nan time Laura Gillen will beryllium nan congresswoman and she will beryllium sworn successful and that’s each that counts,” Jacobs said.

The title for nan 4th Congressional District moving from nan island’s South Shore done cardinal Nassau County was bitter, arsenic D’Esposito sought a 2nd word and Gillen hoped a triumph would thief Democrats return power of nan US House.

There were nary crazy lines for voters astatine Hempstead Village Hall earlier 11 a.m. Tuesday, but a dependable travel of locals came done to formed their ballots.

“I voted for [Laura] Gillen because she’s a Democrat and I’m a Democrat. I had to prime nan lesser of 2 evils,” 1 woman, a retired caregiver from Nassau University Medical Center who declined to springiness her name, told The Post.

Laura Gillen hoped a triumph would thief plaything nan US House to Democratic control. CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Joseph Nicolas, 67, a retired plumber, told The Post he’s voting for Esposito for nan “good of Long Island.”

“He’s done a awesome job,” Nicolas said while waiting to ballot astatine Lawrence Middle School.

The brace duked it retired successful 2022, erstwhile D’Esposito won by conscionable 3.6 points.

A precocious canvass showed a tight title aft others predicted a wide Gillen triumph arsenic D’Esposito battled accusations he hired an alleged mistress.

D’Esposito, for his part, tried to necktie Gillen to President Biden’s separator policies and blasted her grounds as nan municipality of Hempstead’s supervisor. He accused her of being soft connected crime.

— Additional reporting by Desheania Andrews and Olivia Land