Party Democrats object to Gillen Congressional petitions

                                                                                

Laura Gillen

The Congressional race to replace U.S. Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-Garden City) is getting even more heated -- among Nassau party Democrats.

Multiple sources say that Jason Abelove, the Democratic attorney from Oceanside who made a suicide run against Republican Hempstead Town Supervisor Don Clavin last year and was one of Democrat County Executive Laura Curran's last recommendations to become a member of the board at NUMC before she left office in December, has filed specific objections to nominating petitions collected by former Hempstead Town Supervisor Laura Gillen.

Howard Colton, village attorney for Freeport, also filed objections to Gillen's nominating petitions, sources say.

Malverne Mayor Keith Corbett, who is also seeking the Democratic nomination to run for Rice's 4th District seat and is considered Gillen's main party opponent,  represents Freeport in his capacity as a member of the Harris Beach law firm.

Political sources speculate that both Abelove and Colton are looking for future judgeships in return for challenging Gillen, who helped Abelove in his campaign for supervisor.

Gillen supporters say the objections to voter signatures on her petitions are frivolous and won't hold up. Gillen opponents say the objections are valid and will knock Gillen off the primary ballot in June.

Gillen reportedly submitted twice the number of 1,250 signatures needed to qualify for the primary.

Opponents say they have found only 1,000 good signatures.

The Nassau Board of Elections will decide whether her petitions are good or not. But even if the board boots Gillen, she can always go to court to argue that her signatures were sound.

And that may be the point. Going to court will cost Gillen money that she might better use for her campaign.

Nassau and state Democratic Chairman Jay Jacobs has publicly doubted that Gillen could win the general election. He has said he favors Corbett and Nassau Legis. Siela Bynoe of Westbury, who is also seeking the primary nomination.

Also in the race are Nassau Legis. Carrie Solages of Lawrence, Insurance broker Kevin Shakil of Westbury, and Dr. Musibul Huq, whose headquarters are in Elmont.

According to Ballotpedia, here are the amounts collected by candidates in the race as of March 31.

Staniford, who once dated a Russian spy, has dropped out.

Newsday reports that Republican Anthony D'Esposito, who is the party-nominated candidate for the Congressional seat, had $29,504 in the bank as of March 31. In Nassau, the Republican party generally raises money and finances the campaign of its candidates. 

Newsday also reported that Gillen’s campaign conducted a poll by Impact Research between March 28 and April 3 and found Gillen at 40%,  Solages and  Bynoe at 11% and 9%, respectively, and Corbett in last place at at 4%.

Republican polls reportedly show similar results, but with D'Esposito more than ten percentage points above Gillen.