Denenberg drops out of Congressional race; but doesn't endorse Gillen

                                                                      
                                                                  

Former Nassau Legis. David Denenberg of Merrick emailed supporters today that he was ending his "exploratory campaign" for Congress and withdrawing from the Democratic primary for the 4th District seat, now held by U.S. Rep. Anthony D'Esposito, an Island Park Republican.

Denenberg's decision follows the withdrawal last week of State Sen. Kevin Thomas from the primary leaving former Hempstead Town Supervisor Laura Gillen as the strongest candidate in the race for the party's nomination in the November general election.

Thomas, redistricted out of his state senate seat,  had gone head to head with Gillen for months seeking donations for the primary fight.

But Gillen is a moderate Democrat who better fits the demographics of the district, which  includes the conservative Five Towns, than progressive Thomas.  Nassau and State Democratic Chairman Jay Jacobs told Newsday last week that she was "by far the strongest candidate in the race."

Denenberg said in his email that he was leaving the race in the interests of party unity.

Other Democrats who have filed for the District 4 seat are Patricia Maher, of Baldwin, and Gian Jones, a real estate professional from Woodmere.

They will stay in the race if they can get enough signatures on nominating petitions that are not successfully challenged. Petitions went out last week.

Maher has run unsuccessfully as a Democrat in the past for various offices. She is known for being a persistent campaigner. Jones is not well known in political spheres.

Denenberg had been a popular hardworking county legislator until he pleaded guilty in January 2015 to eight felony counts of mail fraud involving the overbilling of his private law clients.

Gillen ran against Republican incumbent Hempstead Town Supervisor Anthony Santino in 2017 and won, making her the first Democrat to win the top office in the Republican-controlled town in a century. She was defeated for re-election two years later by Republican Don Clavin, who has been re-elected ever since.

Gillen ran and lost two years ago to D'Esposito in the race for then-open seat in District 4  after Democrat incumbent Kathleen Rice decided against seeking re-election.

With Denenberg dropping out, the general election in November is likely to be a Gillen-D'Esposito rematch.