Republicans are blaming Dean Skelos’ corruption scandal as a key factor that cost them the Nassau County district attorney’s race.
“Corruption was a major issue,” said former Sen. Alfonse D’Amato, who backed fellow Republican Kate Murray, the popular Hempstead Town supervisor, in the DA’s race.
In early October, a poll showed Murray leading Democrat Madeline Singas, the acting DA, by six percentage points, 48 percent to 42 percent.
But Singas spent the final weeks of the campaign pounding Murray as a career politician with ties to Skelos, while playing up her own background as a professional prosecutor who would clean up corruption.
Singas ended up defeating Murray by 14 points.
“A professional prosecutor is what the voters wanted,” D’Amato said.
Democrats were giddy over the outcome and Republicans were left reeling.
Democratic candidates will run on anti-corruption platforms in state Senate races next year, whether Skelos is convicted at trial or not, sources said.
Assemblyman Todd Kaminsky (D-LI), a former federal prosecutor, is the leading Democratic contender to replace Skelos.
The Democrats actually have a registration edge in Skelos’ Senate District 9.
Republicans hope to ride out the Skelos storm and keep their narrow control.
“Skelos should resign,” one GOP insider sniped. “He’s hurting the re-election chances of every state senator on Long Island next year.”