Politics & Government

Ackerman Takes Commanding Lead In 5th Dist.

Incumbent Democratic Congressman cruising towards victory.

U.S. Rep. Gary Ackerman, D-Bayside, claimed victory Tuesday night over Republican James Milano and Tax Revolt candidate Elizabeth Berney in the race to retain his congressional seat amid GOP gains nationwide.

Ackerman, who was first elected to Congress in 1982, has a stranglehold on the lead over his challengers while Milano, according to numbers from the Nassau County Board of Elections website.

The site also has Elizabeth Berney, a Great Neck lawyer who challenged the congressman in 2008 and is running this year on the Tax Revolt Party line, earning only a handful of votes.

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"My priorities are helping the economy, world peace and financial reform," Ackerman said after celebrating his win at the Great Neck Democratic Club. "We have to do more to assist small businesses."

The congressman said he would make an effort to work with Republicans, who were expected to take control of Congress.

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"I want them to reach to us as we did to them," he said.

Spokesman Anthony Carollo said Milano's camp was not yet commenting on election results.

The district covers the Queens neighborhoods of Bayside, Douglaston, Corona, Flushing, Jamaica Estates, Little Neck and Whitestone as well as the Nassau County towns of Port Washington, Great Neck, Manhasset, Albertson, Roslyn and Sands Point.

Ackerman, a Roslyn Heights resident, is running on a platform of ending discrimination, improving public education while lowering costs to students and advocating for consumer protection in the financial market.

Milano's campaign has focused on repealing and replacing the current health care laws, as well as decreasing taxes and fighting illegal immigration.

Berney, who specializes in tax law and securities fraud, has said her top priorities are tax relief, cutting wasteful spending, fighting terrorism and strengthening national security.

Several voters at the polls in Bayside and Douglaston said they voted for the congressman. But they also said their vote was also a vote against the Republican Party.

"I voted Democratic, which I usually do," said Alva Anderson, of Bayside, at PS 169 around 11:30 a.m. "I fear that the Republicans, especially the current ones, are just too angry."

Bayside voter Allen Weinberger, who cast his ballot for Ackerman and state Sen. Toby Stavisky, D-Whitestone, said he voted for similar reasons.

"I'm voting for them only because it's frightening to think of the Republicans having power," he said. "It's a lesser of two evils choice."

Angela Cestaro, of Douglaston, said she voted not only for Milano, but also straight down the Republican line.

"We need new blood," she said. "Ackerman is stale. We're going to lose everything if we don't change. We are going downhill fast."


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