Pascale, Puleo face off in GOP primary for Suffolk County Clerk

Suffolk County residents will head to the polls on Tuesday to vote in Republican primaries for Suffolk County Clerk and State Assembly.

County Clerk Judith Pascale, 74, the incumbent Republican clerk, faces Vincent Puleo, 68, a Nesconset Conservative who serves as town clerk in Smithtown.

The Suffolk Republican and Conservative committees declined to nominate Pascale for reelection, choosing Puleo as their nominee.

Also Tuesday, Edward Flood, a Brookhaven deputy town attorney, is running against former New York City educator Thomas Wiermann in the GOP primary in the Fourth State Assembly District, which includes the North Shore of Brookhaven Town. 

The winner will challenge state Assemb. Steve Englebright (D-East Setauket) in November.

Pascale fought to get on the ballot after party leaders dropped her from the ticket.

In May, Pascale fended off challenges to her nominating petitions when a state Supreme Court justice ruled she had filed enough valid petition signatures to appear on the primary ballot.

The county clerk's office is responsible for handling court records, mortgage documents, notices of legal judgments and property tax liens.

Jesse Garcia, Suffolk Republican Chairman, told Newsday last month he believed Pascale no longer believed in GOP principles and "embraced the same COVID mandates" as former State Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and current Gov. Kathy Hochul, both Democrats.

Pascale spokesman Mark Grossman called the assertion "ludicrous," saying Pascale has an "outstanding record of delivering good, honest government services to the taxpayers of Suffolk County."

Suffolk's largest police union, the Police Benevolent Association, is among Pascale's backers in the primary.

As of June 17, Pascale's campaign had $8,992 in cash on hand, state finance records show, while Puleo had $14,598 on hand.

During the Fourth District Assembly campaign, Wiermann, 48, of Port Jefferson Station, has said he opposes abortion rights for women as well as gun restrictions, and wants to strengthen voting security.

Last fall, Wiermann took an "involuntary resignation" from his job at M.S. 101 The Edward R. Byrne School in the Bronx, after declining to receive a required vaccination against COVID-19.

Flood, 40 of Port Jefferson Village, has said he opposes employer mandates and would work to amend state bail reform laws as well as "Raise the Age" measures.

He stresses that he is vaccinated and boosted against the coronavirus.

Flood has $20,249 on hand, while Wiermann has $15,320, state election filings show.

By Scott Eidler

scott.eidler@newsday.com@ScottEidler

Scott Eidler is a deputy editor for the towns department at Newsday. Scott has worked at Newsday since 2012 and previously covered municipal government and education.