GOP challenger wins tight race for North Hempstead supervisor
Jennifer DeSena is the first Republican to lead North Hempstead since the late 1980s. Credit: James Escher
North Hempstead Town will get its first Republican town supervisor in more than 30 years after Democrat Wayne Wink Jr. conceded late Tuesday the closely watched race to challenger Jennifer DeSena.
"I spoke with Jen DeSena and I congratulated her and wished her luck," Wink told Newsday. "Numbers have been counted and we came a few votes short and it’s time to move on."
Supervisor Judi Bosworth, a Democrat, did not seek reelection to a fifth term. The last time a Republican led the town was in the late 1980s.
DeSena, 52, accepted the concession and said she looks forward to working with Bosworth, whose term ends Dec. 31, in the coming weeks.
"I’m grateful for the support I received from the Town of North Hempstead. It was a very close race," DeSena told Newsday on Tuesday. "It’s hard to be in a contest for the job, and I appreciate all that [Wink] has done for the town and I hope to continue improving on what they’ve done."
DeSena is executive director of the nonprofit Manhasset Community Coalition Against Substance Abuse. She is a registered Democrat but ran on the Republican and Conservative party lines.
Wink, 54, of Roslyn, said he is weighing his future options. He has been town clerk since 2013 and was in the past a town council member and a Nassau County legislator.
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Newsday Live Music Series: Long Island Idols Newsday Live presents a special evening of music and conversation with local singers who grabbed the national spotlight on shows like "The Voice," "America's Got Talent,""The X-Factor" and "American Idol." Newsday Senior Lifestyle Host Elisa DiStefano leads a discussion and audience Q&A as the singers discuss their TV experiences, careers and perform original songs.
