GOP taps Henry for Babylon Town Board; announces names of other November Town-County candidates

Shown in photo left to right are Republican candidates, Tom Gargiulo, Lindsey Henry, James McDonaugh, Robert Pflaum, Angie Carpenter who is running for County Comptroller, John Iliou, Patricia Hill Williams and Frank Gargano, who is running in the S.C. Legislature's 16th District.

by Carolyn James

Tell two people... who will tell two people...who will tell two people about the good government that this Republican slate can bring to Babylon and we’ll have no trouble in November.

That was the message from Babylon Town Councilman Lindsay Henry, an Independent Party candidate who received the Republican endorsement for reelection last week. Henry, who is seeking his third, two-year term, is also endorsed by the Conservative Party and is expected to be cross-endorsed by the Democrats, nearly ensuring his victory in November.

But make no mistake about it, Henry is a Republican, said Babylon Town Republican leader Harry Withers as he announced Henry as the party’s candidate at Republican Headquarters in West Babylon. "He has been the only one carrying the Republican ideals on the Town Board and I am confident we can win this election and do better than the current administration at Town Hall is doing," said Withers.

Also nominated to run for Town Board by the party was Tom Gargiulo of Babylon Village, an athletic coach with the Babylon and Bethpage school districts. Henry and Gargiulo square off against incumbent Carol Quirk, who is seeking reelection on the Democratic line.

James McDonaugh, an attorney from Lindenhurst and former Suffolk County Assistant District Attorney, faces incumbent Babylon Town Supervisor Steve Bellone, a Democrat who received Conservative endorsement.

Like Henry and Bellone, Gargiulo is running with Conservative support, a fact he said he hopes will make the critical difference.

"When Carol Quirk ran for election two years ago, she won because she had the Conservative line," said Gargiulo.

But Democrats, who acknowledge that Quirk’s numbers were "soft" two years ago point out that she has had two years to work on behalf of the residents of the Town of Babylon, gain name recognition and become a part of Bellone’s team.

"We are confident she will do well, and that people will understand that Carol is an important part of the Bellone team, which they have indicated they support by Steve’s wide margin of victory last time around" said Babylon Town Democratic leader Robert Stricoff.

The election for two council seats is at large. The two council candidates who receive the highest number of votes will be seated for two year terms.

COUNTY LEGISLATURE

Running on the Republican line for the seat in the 14h legislative district is Robert Pflaum, a Suffolk County Police Detective. He is seeking the seat vacated by Leg. David Bishop, who must give up his seat because of term limits in the county.

Seeking to upset the seat held by Democrat Elie Mystal in the 15th Legislative District is Patricia Hill Williams, a former educator and administrator at the State University of New York at Farmingdale. Williams was described by Withers "as a woman whose background is second to none."

"Her credentials are amazing, and she is a new star for our party this year who has done wonderful work for her community and knows what is needs to be done."

In an emotional speech, former Babylon Town Republican leader Frank Aprea put the name of John Iliou, the son of a close personal friend, into nomination for District Court Judge. Iliou had been considered two years ago but was unable to eke out an endorsement after what was described as a disappointing screening before the Suffolk County Bar Association.

In his comments, Iliou, an attorney from West Babylon, thanked Aprea and said he was honored to have the opportunity to run for the office.