After facing a primary challenge and a move to the new district, Assemb. Joseph Saladino, R-Massapequa, has won a fifth term in the New York State Assembly.
With 108 of 109 precincts reporting in the race for the 9th Assembly District, Saladino was leading Jay Cherlin, D-Massapequa, with 68 percent of the vote to 32 percent.
Much of the talk surrounding this race has been related to redistricting. While Saladino's old 12th District was mostly in his home turf in Massapequa.
The new 9th District included more of the south shore and spread east to Suffolk County.
Saladino had to survive a primary challenge in September and did so in a big way easily defeating former NYPD Sgt. Richard Young.
Cherlin, a health care administrator, has never held public office.
He said despite the change in the makeup of the district, he still had tremendous odds to overcome.
"The new district was drawn about two thirds Republican and my opponent received about two thirda of the vote," Cherlin said.
Candidate Votes Percent Joseph Saladino (R) 30,639 69 Jay Cherlin (D) 13,816 31