Brown defeats Lobl in Nassau's 20th Assembly District race

Republican Eric "Ari" Brown on Friday declared victory over Democrat David Lobl in the race to represent the 20th Assembly District in southwest Nassau. 

According to the county Board of Elections, Brown had 4,667 votes to Lobl's 2,413 early Friday morning with all precincts reporting.

“I am eager be an effective force for the residents of the 20th District when I join the State Assembly," Brown said in a statement.:

Brown pledged to work, "against the corrosive effects of the ‘cashless bail’ law, I will push to suspend the state’s gas tax and I will tirelessly labor to preserve our suburban quality-of-life.”

The special election was held to fill the seat vacated by Melissa "Missy" Miller, who announced in February she would resign and become a Hempstead Town Board councilwoman.

Brown, 54, is a longtime trustee and current deputy mayor of the Village of Cedarhurst. He is president of R. Brown Realty Corp., a design/building firm located in the village. He holds a bachelor's degree in economics from Queens College.

Lobl, 37, moved to Cedarhurst two years ago from Far Rockaway and is a government relations consultant with his own Cedarhurst-based firm, Asher Strategies LLC.

He worked previously at Kasirer LLC, a Manhattan government relations firm, and served as a special assistant to former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo from 2012 to 2018. Lobl holds a degree in Talmudic law from Yeshiva Derech Hatalmud in Brooklyn.

“While this is not the result we were hoping for, I am honored to have had the support of so many voters throughout the South Shore and I am more optimistic than ever before that while there is a lot of work to be done to enhance public safety, reduce our tax burden and improve our communities, I am positive that the future will bring great possibilities for us," Lobl said in a statement Friday. 

The 20th Assembly District abuts Kennedy Airport. In addition to Cedarhurst, the district includes East Rockaway, Hewlett, Inwood, Island Park, Lawrence and Oceanside, along with the barrier island from Atlantic Beach to Point Lookout.

During nine days of early voting, 1,919 ballots were cast, according to the Board of Elections. 

There also were 2,401 absentee ballots requested and 840 returned as of Friday, election officials said. Absentee ballots must be postmarked by April 7 and arrive at the elections board by April 14.           

The district has 42,000 registered Democrats and 35,000 Republicans, but favored former GOP President Donald Trump in the 2020 election.

 Miller, 57, of Atlantic Beach, was elected to a full term in the Assembly in November 2016 to replace Todd Kaminsky, a Democratic state senator from Long Beach.

Miller was among the first GOP candidates in decades to represent the district, once a Democratic stronghold. 

By Candice Ferrette

candice.ferrette@newsday.comcandiceferrette

Candice Ferrette covers Nassau County government and politics on Long Island. She has been a reporter at Newsday since 2011.