NY-01: Goroff defeats Gershon in 1st Congressional District Democratic primary

Stony Brook University scientist Nancy Goroff won the 1st Congressional District Democratic primary Thursday, defeating former party nominee Perry Gershon and setting up a contest against Republican Rep. Lee Zeldin, a strong ally of President Donald Trump, officials said Thursday.

Goroff, 52, of Stony Brook, chaired the university’s chemistry department until taking a leave of absence to campaign last year. The first-time candidate seeks to be Congress’ first female scientist with a PhD.

"Now more than ever, as we work to address the unique health and environmental issues of our time, we need leaders who will study the data and make decisions by putting people over politics," Goroff said in a statement. "It is past time that scientists have a seat at the table."

Goroff won by about 600 votes, according to the county Board of Elections. On primary night, Goroff trailed Gershon, who ran against Zeldin (R-Shirley) in a highly watched contest in 2018, by 164 votes.

After a tally of absentee ballots completed Thursday morning, Goroff had 17,905 total votes to Gershon’s 17,275, according to elections results that have yet to be certified, Democratic elections commissioner Anita Katz said. Suffolk County Legis. Bridget Fleming had 13,696 votes and business consultant Gregory John Fischer had 773, Katz said.



https://www.newsday.com/long-island/politics/goroff-zeldin-gershon-congress-1.46557580?utm_source=tw_nd