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Southampton Town Councilwoman Anna Throne-Holst handily defeated one-term Republican incumbent Town Supervisor Linda Kabot on Tuesday and will take over the town’s top post, though the GOP retained a majority control of the Town Board.
Ms. Throne-Holst received 6,884 votes, or almost 58 percent of all ballots cast in the race, while Ms. Kabot received 4,990 votes, or 42 percent, according to unofficial results reported by the Suffolk County Board of Elections. Incumbent Councilman Christopher Nuzzi and first-time candidate Jim Malone, both Republicans, took the two Town Board seats up for grabs, besting Democrats Sally Pope, an incumbent, and Bridget Fleming.
That means Ms. Throne-Holst will serve on a board with a majority of three Republicans; GOP Town Councilwoman Nancy Graboski also sits on the board. A fifth seat—the one Ms. Throne-Holst will vacate to take over the supervisor post—will be up for grabs in a special election in early 2010.
“This has been a wonderful, life-changing process,” said Ms. Throne-Holst, 50, an independent candidate with Democratic endorsement, as she addressed nearly 100 party supporters who had gathered at Four Seasons Caterer in Southampton Village on Tuesday night.
“Please, everyone, stick with me,” she said during her acceptance speech. “I need every single one of you.”
At 11:13 p.m., Ms. Kabot called Ms. Throne-Holst on her cell phone to concede. At around 11:20 p.m., surrounded by her sons, Sebastian, Max and Nicholas, Ms. Throne-Holst unbuttoned her gray suit jacket and said she was “honored and humbled” by her victory.
Earlier Tuesday night, at Republican headquarters in Hampton Bays, Ms. Kabot, who has come under heavy fire in recent months for the town’s financial situation and a DWI arrest on Labor Day, said her “thick skin and strength of character” got her through difficult times at Town Hall.
“This door may have shut for me, but another door will open,” said Ms. Kabot, 41. “You haven’t see the last of Linda Kabot yet.”
In her closing remarks, Ms. Kabot, red-faced and watery-eyed, spoke proudly of her time as an elected official.
“We ran a good campaign, as best as we could under the circumstances,” Ms. Kabot said during her concession speech, “and please know that I really appreciate all of the support and encouragement of so many people during this year’s race and for my prior years of public service.”
Ms. Throne-Holst, who served the past two years on the Town Board, will assume her new office on January 1, 2010. It is a two-year term.
Though Ms. Kabot lost her bid for supervisor, Republicans held their ground on the Town Board. Mr. Nuzzi was the top finisher of the four Town Board candidates, as he received 6,978 votes, according to the Board of Elections. His running mate, Mr. Malone, finished with 5,847 votes to win the second open seat on the Town Board. Both of their terms are four years.
Ms. Pope, who was making her first bid for reelection, finished a distant third with 5,456 votes. Her running mate, Ms. Fleming, was making her first bid for public office and received 5,319 votes.
With fewer than 400 votes separating Mr. Malone and Ms. Pope for the second Town Board seat, Southampton Town Democratic Committee Chairman Gordon Herr said the party will consider asking for a recount. He added that Ms. Pope and Ms. Fleming were “fantastic” candidates.
“This is not the end,” Mr. Herr said. “This is the beginning.”
On Wednesday morning, Mr. Herr said in an e-mail that there will be a recanvassing of election machines to check the accuracy of the vote counts. After that is released, he said, the Southampton Town Democratic Committee will decide if a recount is warranted.
Ms. Pope, wearing a lavender sweater and black slacks, appeared upbeat on Tuesday night, only once or twice peeking at a television screen that broadcast the election results. At the end of the night, she was somber and said it was a close race.
“It looks like the voters have made their selection,” said Ms. Pope, 68, who was elected to the board in 2008 to fill the seat vacated by Ms. Kabot when she was elected supervisor. “But we have to count all the votes.”
Mr. Nuzzi, 35, who was first elected to the board in 2005, said his conservative campaign platform of reducing spending and fiscal reform resonated with voters. “I focused my campaign on those ideas,” he said.
Ms. Throne-Holst’s soon-to-be-vacant seat will be filled through a special election, which must be held within the next 60 to 90 days. Town voters on Tuesday also approved a proposition that changes the way open elected seats are filled in Southampton Town. Instead of being filled through board appointment—as has been the practice before Tuesday night—those vacant seats will be filled by special election. The proposition passed by a two-to-one margin.
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Congratulations, the dedication and energy each of you put into your campaigns deserves recognition. It is common knowledge that there are only 24 hours in a day, but it seems as if the candidates worked much more than that these past few months.
During the time that I ran for Town Council earlier this year, I experienced first hand the difficulty of balancing work, family and the rigors of campaigning. Only after campaigning do I fully ... more realize the sacrifice that the candidates made. Regardless of party affiliation or electoral success, each and every candidate demonstrated that Southampton Town has a bevy of well qualified citizens for public office.
Now that the voters have cast their ballots and chosen those who will represent them, I hope that everyone, Democrat, Republican or Independent, will strive to solve the problems and issues that we face. With the campaigns over, there should be no more "us versus them" mentality, or backward focus on what may or may not have been done yesterday. Our ultimate goal is the same, insuring that today and tomorrow Southampton Town remains a great place to live, work and raise a family.
Once again congratulations to all of the candidates.
Bill Wright
Total comments by Bill Wright : 1
Of course, you and your Republican handlers knew that neither Anna Throne-Holst nor any intelligent citizen wold comply with such a brazen invasion of privacy, and you also knew that her refusal would lend credence to the rumor in some weak minds. It was a cheap and dirty political trick, exactly the sort of thing that makes many people think politics is a foul business.
You say above, "With the campaigns over, there should be no more 'us versus them' mentality, or backward focus on what may or may not have been done yesterday." Why is it always those who have sinned the most that are most enthusiastic for putting things behind us and moving on? I guess it makes sense that the crowd responsible for the vicious rumors about candidates' personal lives, the chronic tampering with opposition advertising, and the web of lies about Alex Gregor, would want the public to forget the old "us versus them" stuff. Likewise the Republican Party so long in control, the Party whose incompetencce, power-greed and mismanagement finally left the Town in a $20 million hole, would naturally want to avoid "backward focus on . . . yesterday." It makes sense when you think about it.
Bill Wright, I know this unscrupulous letter you wrote is just one incident, but it left such a negative impression on me that I can't let you get away with all the nice-nice, magnanimous, kumbaya pap you're selling in the above comment, without letting the folks know what you have pulled in the very recent past.
You may say my comment reflects some bitterness on the morrow of Election Day, but it's hard to be bitter when my side has captured not only the top office in Town, Supervisor, but also the most -- how shall I say it? -- sensitive office, that of Highway Superintendent, striking a devastating blow at the soft underbelly of the Republican organization. (This is not crowing; it's just a pre-emptive defense against the anticipated charge of sour grapes.)
Bill Wright, this brand-new screen presence (your Comment No. 1 here) with the nice prom picture tells me you are positioning yourself for a run at Anna Throne-Holst's vacant Town Board seat in the special election unless, of course, Ms. Kabot unhorses you once again -- she's done it before. As you go through your motions, just be aware that we're all watching. The Slime Award for 2009 was conferred on John McGann (and look where it got him), but the running for the 2010 Slime Award is wide open. A few more swinish capers like that letter you wrote, and you could be a contender.
Total comments by fidelis: 41
Total comments by Frank Wheeler: 506
Total comments by JimmyKBond: 111
Total comments by fidelis: 41
What a wretched shame to have a supervisor that does not understand government, but well, we have a president in the White House that doesn"t either-he watched ... more basketball games on t.v. on election night.
I grieve for Southampton town.
Total comments by foxnfowl: 17
Total comments by rocky: 18
Taxes? how about 5% increase each year - the most allowed by law. Thanks Linda!
Police earning too much $? totally agree - and it takes them 20 years to get there, which means most of the cops were hired while Republicans - and certainly not the supervisor-elect, were in power.
Illegal Immigrants? Yeah, they've never been here before, ... more right? Or maybe you think there are guys all over Central America reading the SHP on their laptops, just waiting for Anna to get in power and come here.
Anyone with even a hint of honesty can see that Kabot was a divisive figure who ran the town into the ground. And now others are left to clean up the mess.
Grieve on!
Total comments by littleplains: 149
Total comments by JimmyKBond: 111
I'm thinking either traumatic brain injury or a neurodegenerative disease. He couldn't be THAT stupid - or could he?
Total comments by Noah Way: 200
Total comments by Dodger: 26
The only problem with your attack on ATH is that Republicans will control the town board 3-1 when she becomes supervisor and maybe with the special election they may control all 4 seats on the council. So it would be impossible to put the blame on ATH for all these things you mention. If your predictions come to fruition then you would have to blame the republicans, in a republican controlled town board.
Total comments by sayitaintsojoe: 24
Total comments by EmployeeSH: 4
YAY Anna Throne Holst!!!!
Total comments by gina: 5
Living in Patchogue how would you know anything about OUR town?
I saw you comment about the animal shelter. At first I thought you were just an advocate for animals. But what really was or is your agenda? How would you even know ATH? Did someone one ask you comment about the SH Animal Shelter because it was controversial at the time? Seems very strange a blogger from Patchogue who is involved with Suffolk Unleased and also supports ATH.
Total comments by golfbuddy: 180
No one asked me to respond to anything, I have my own opinions. attended several of your town board meetings, and I had the pleasure of meeting Ms Throne Holst, - I am also a very staunch democrat! And I am also an advocate for the animals, unpaid and a volunteer- so I am still unsure what you mean by agenda- what "agenda" would I have?
Total comments by gina: 5
Total comments by Sam: 223
Now, all of sudden - with the special election prop having passed and no chance that GOP appointing him as they told him to do when they shuffled the deck after the committee voted to nominate Malone at first ... more and he was a candidate for TB - it's "can't we all just get along." Oh, yeah, we're going to buy that one, pal. Try selling striped socks to Zebras. Let's put ATH as supervisor with 4 Republicans in the hope to render her ineffective. Well, remember this, folks: ATH was elected in 2007 the only non-Republican on the TB and look how "ineffective" they made her: She only became supervisor after two years in a landslide. So, good luck with that one. The curtain has been pulled back.
Either Sally Pope or Bridget Fleming should run in this special election and put some balance on this Town Board so that....as George Bailey says in his blog....the residents of the Town, and not the wishes of the old guard, can be served.
Total comments by Ben Dover: 3
Total comments by Noah Way: 200
Im disappointed Kabot lost, but at the same time I was disgusted by Kabot's poor judgement with the whole DWI thing (she should have just apologized), and in a way she got what she deserved.
Total comments by nicole: 81
Total comments by Walt: 95
Do you even know what a democracy is? We just had an ELECTION.
Total comments by Noah Way: 200
Total comments by JimmyKBond: 111
Total comments by Walt: 95
Total comments by yearrounder: 148
Total comments by kpjc: 56
Total comments by Tim Tanuka: 38
Total comments by golfbuddy: 180
Total comments by dagdavid: 192
Maybe Linda would have had more lines if she hadn't lost her own party's support by being such a divisive character.
The excuses and rationalizations never end!
Total comments by littleplains: 149
Yeah, the ATH margin would have been 12-13%.
What will you come up with next, GB? Anna only won because she's taller and cuter than Linda?
Total comments by Frank Wheeler: 506
Total comments by Sam: 223
Total comments by JimmyKBond: 111
Total comments by Noah Way: 200
Total comments by kelbas: 12
Total comments by dagdavid: 192
It's not a Kabot or ATH thing, We just got used to having a lot of $ from all the mansions and real estate sales taxes. We can't rely on that anymore.
Total comments by littleplains: 149
Total comments by JimmyKBond: 111
Total comments by Tim Tanuka: 38
Re: The 30K per student - it is for the children, yes, what better investment could a town make?
Total comments by heath: 18
Perhaps the new board and supervisor will look into that. Of course, the same ranters will cry sour grapes and play politics - and all of us will still be out 15-20mm dollars.
Total comments by littleplains: 149
Total comments by Sam: 223
Total comments by heath: 18
And I believe that the decision not to pursue legal action was taken after they reviewed the audit - which makes it even more troublesome.
Total comments by littleplains: 149
If sued, the audit company will argue as a defense that: 1)We told the Board about the errors, or 2) The Board should have known about the errors based upon this set of documents or transcations.
The Board would spend a ton of money on lawyers fees only to have dirty laundry aired showing they ignored evidence of financial mismanagment. They would rather just raise our ... more taxes and sweep everything under the rug. The outside audit company knows where the dirty laundry is, and they would expose it to defend themselves in litigation.
Total comments by CommonSense: 47
Total comments by JimmyKBond: 111
This is just like the federal non-investigation of war crimes and abuse of power. Until there is thorough investigation and prosecution, there is nothing to prevent this from happening all over again.
Total comments by Noah Way: 200
Total comments by littleplains: 149
I just hope that she shows herself to be tough as well as gracious and ingratiating. However, considering the composition of the rest of the Town Council, her scope of activity will be limited.
Total comments by highhatsize: 303
Total comments by dagdavid: 192
BTW, he's right on about ATH's scope being limited by the three Republican/Conservative votes on the Town Board. That's why the upcoming special election is so important as an opportunity to put a different voice in the choir.
Total comments by Turkey Bridge: 152
Total comments by EastEnd68: 173
malone will lead the way with his heel kicking attention Nans & nuz following
when the game is chess & it is the repubs board, the dems are trying to play checkers, too much of a disadvantage
Total comments by fix-it-now: 168
Total comments by Local dad: 7
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