A sweet sweep for Riverhead GOP
Sean Walter leads Republican takeover of the Town Board
14 comments below
Riverhead Republicans swept the supervisor and Town Board races on Tuesday, while Democrats gained small consolation in holding onto the town clerk and highway superintendent positions.
With 51.5 percent of the vote, GOP candidate Sean Walter, a former deputy town attorney, edged Democratic Supervisor Phil Cardinale, who was bidding for a fourth two-year term as Riverhead's top official.
"Going door to door, I could see he was losing," a euphoric Mr. Walter said Tuesday night at Republican headquarters in downtown Riverhead. "We're a Republican board now and we're going to get it done."
During the campaign, Mr. Walter, 39, said he would work to provide better police service and safer roads, while pitching plans for a town tax cap and championing a renewed Main Street through faster approvals for building plans.
The Wading River resident will preside over an all-Republican Town Board, thanks to the decisive victories of his three running mates. Republican incumbent John Dunleavy, with 31.4 percent of the vote, and GOP candidate Jodi Giglio, with 29.8 percent, earned four-year terms on the board over Democratic challengers Kathy Berezny (20 percent) and Shirley Coverdale (18.8 percent). And Republican George Gabrielsen handily defeated his two opponents for the two years left on an unexpired Town Board term.
The Republicans also scored a win of sorts with the voting down of the referendum on whether to shift police dispatching services to the county, a Cardinale initiative.
While conceding defeat Tuesday night at his campaign headquarters, Mr. Cardinale of Jamesport expressed concern over what he called Mr. Walter's "extremist views."
"I hope that my successor will moderate his views when he gets in office, because it concerns me," he told supporters.
The night was not a complete loss for Democrats. George "Gio" Woodson, handily re-elected as town highway superintendent, effectively earned a four-year term because voters also approved a measure that stretches the superintendent's term from two to four years. Town Clerk Diane Wilhelm, a Democrat, was also re-elected, holding off Republican challenger Linda Hulse.
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14 comments found
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Election 2011 : 4/6/2011
Hey Democratic Club why don't you endorse Diane Wilhelm for Supervisor.
Town Clerk Election : 4/6/2011
I've only lived here for nine months and already find that there is a deep cut steming from the Town Clerk that was re-elected. The Riverhead News Review writes: "Re-elected".
However, the individual was elected by an all Democratic Town Board not by the People of the Town of Riverhead. Recently, I was at the Town Clerks office to purchase a dog license and found Ms. Wilhelm not suited for the position. I hope that come the term for election that the Republicans can find someone who has experience in business and dealing with the public.
Election 2009 : 12/1/2009
Congratulations to the Republican Party! Good Luck in running the Riverhead Town Board! However, I'm disappointed that Linda Hulse didn't come out the winner. I thought that she ran a very "soggy" campaign. Hopefully, the Republican Party will choose someone that wants to win the seat of Riverhead Town Clerk.
Election, November 5, 2009 : 11/22/2009
Congratualations to the Republican Team for almost a "clean sweep." Hopefully the town will change for the better. Under Cardinale's TEAM it was a disaster. In addition, it was a known fact that Diane Wilhelm was the winner. After all she was handed the position on a "GOLDEN PLATTER." She comes from a wealthy family backround that knows how to play incredible POLITICS.
Election : 11/5/2009
'Glad I'm not there to experience this. An all R board in Riverhead is a recipe for disaster. This is the result of complacency on the part of the voters. Certainly things may get done faster without all of those obstructionists that Mr. Cardinale had to deal with who fought progress for the sake of politics, but someone had better be keeping a close watch on what is done and who benefits. Good luck.
Trusted Public Servant : 11/5/2009
Now they have to earn it. We shall see........
Riverhead Town Clerk : 11/5/2009
How can you say that Diane Wilhelm was re-elected to her post when this is the first time she ever ran in an election. She was never voted by the people for the position of Town Clerk. Mrs. Wilhelm was "handed" the position of Town Clerk. She played "Politics" like she knows how to play like the back of her hand!
Election : 11/5/2009
Congratulations to the new Board members. Maybe finally something will happen to improve our downtown!
