Suffolk County (NY) Exec Steve Levy will not seek reelection, due to DA probe

[Smash255]

Suffolk County Executive, Steve Levy who was first elected as a Democrat, cross endorsed by the GOP in 2007, and had a failed bid for the GOP nomination for Governor will not seek reelection.  He was under investigation by Suffolk DA Thomas Spota over campaign funds, and will turn over his $4 million in his campaign account to the DA's office.

http://mobile.newsday.com/inf/infomo;JSESSIONID=408B2328085AE93A1453.3089?site=newsday&view=top_stories_item&feed:a=newsday_1min&feed:c=topstories&feed:i=1.2780681&nopaging=1

[JohnnyLongtorso]

Just another day on Long Island, then.

[Brittain33]

Democrats won an upset victory in a race for Suffolk County legislature yesterday.

http://mobile.newsday.com/inf/infomo?site=newsday&view=politics_item&feed:a=newsday_1min&feed:c=politics&feed:i=1.2789810

I don't know how much to read into this--whether it's a one-off or a harbinger of things to come. Cinyc, what say you?

[Badger]

Not Cynic, but the GOP has a 5000 voter registration advantage in this district. Not a good sign for Suffolk Republicans.

[cinyc]

Democrats won an upset victory in a race for Suffolk County legislature yesterday.

http://mobile.newsday.com/inf/infomo?site=newsday&view=politics_item&feed:a=newsday_1min&feed:c=politics&feed:i=1.2789810

I don't know how much to read into this--whether it's a one-off or a harbinger of things to come. Cinyc, what say you?

I really don't know enough about Suffolk County local politics to say much.  Both major candidates had some union support.  The Republican candidate should have won, based solely on party registration - though I can't tell you anything about the relative strength and name recognition of the candidates. 

What I do know is that it was a special election with very low turnout.  Strange things can and will happen in ultra-local special elections with very low turnout.  It might be a one-off.  Or not.  Republicans haven't been in control of the Suffolk County Legislature recently, anyway.

[Smash255]

Democrats won an upset victory in a race for Suffolk County legislature yesterday.

http://mobile.newsday.com/inf/infomo?site=newsday&view=politics_item&feed:a=newsday_1min&feed:c=politics&feed:i=1.2789810

I don't know how much to read into this--whether it's a one-off or a harbinger of things to come. Cinyc, what say you?

I really don't know enough about Suffolk County local politics to say much.  Both major candidates had some union support.  The Republican candidate should have won, based solely on party registration - though I can't tell you anything about the relative strength and name recognition of the candidates. 

What I do know is that it was a special election with very low turnout.  Strange things can and will happen in ultra-local special elections with very low turnout.  It might be a one-off.  Or not.  Republicans haven't been in control of the Suffolk County Legislature recently, anyway.

It is a very Republican district.  Haley was actually a former county legislator.  He ran the campaign using Levy as a close ally, which obviously hurt when the scandal broke.  To top it off went for desperation near the end with some radio spots which mentioned the liberal word a whole bunch of times, and then referred to the Levy fundraising scandal as the Democratic fundraising scandal.