Sen. Gaughran Declares Victory In District 5; Smyth Concedes

NORTHPORT, NY — Democratic state Sen. Jim Gaughran will maintain his seat in New York Senate District 5, as Republican opponent Ed Smyth conceded the race Wednesday. Green Party candidate Barbara Wagner also ran for the position.

Gaughran said in a statement he was humbled to be re-elected and thanked his supporters.

"During my first term in office, I worked tirelessly on behalf of Long Islanders and I am proud to have delivered real results — from a permanent property tax cap to support for small businesses navigating the COVID-19 pandemic," Gaughran said. "I will keep fighting for my constituents, for Long Island, and for all of New York State, and I thank the voters for giving me the opportunity to continue to serve them."

Smyth posted his concession Wednesday afternoon on Facebook.

"I congratulate Senator Gaughran on his re-election," Smyth said. "He has my un-bargained for support. I encourage all residents who voted for me to support him as well to make Senate District 5 and the State of New York the best it can possibly be. Thank you to the countless volunteers who helped over the last several months; it’s been a campaign like none other."

After Election Day, Smyth led Gaughran by nearly 14,000 votes. However, that lead did not take into account absentee ballots. Gaughran's campaign told Patch there were nearly 30,000 absentee votes to be counted at the time of Smyth's lead.

State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins congratulated Gaughran on his victory.

"Since first joining the Senate in 2018, as part of the historic freshman class that helped flip the Chamber to Democratic control, Jim has been an outspoken advocate for his constituents, and for the needs of his community," Stewart-Cousins said. "Jim’s chairmanship of the Local Governments Committee has been a source of leadership and stability for local governments throughout the state as they struggle with this pandemic, economic crisis, and uncertainty from Washington. I am thrilled that the 5th Senate District voters have returned Jim Gaughran to the Democratic Majority."

The 5th district covers the North Shore of Long Island, including Glen Cove, Syosset, Jericho, Oyster Bay, Plainview, Huntington, Northport, Melville, Dix Hills and part of Commack.

In Nassau County, the current total has Gaughran ahead 43,404 votes to Smyth's 36,422. The Suffolk County Board of Elections has yet to update its totals with absentee ballots included.