Mineola Mayor Jack M. Martins has been busy in recent months mounting a campaign for Congress. Martins had a tough battle to fight against an incumbent, Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy, a Democrat, in the 4th Congressional District. The odds proved to be too much as Martins, a Republican, was badly outvoted in many communities in the 4th Congressional District that voted heavily for Democrats.

In the Village of Mineola, Martins managed to collect more votes than McCarthy, who is also from Mineola, but the Mineola vote was close. In the polling place within the Village of Mineola, which included the Hampton Street School, Jackson Avenue School, Mineola Community Center, Mineola Historical Society Building and Mineola Middle School, Martins collected 3,367 votes (52 percent) to McCarthy's 3,158 (48 percent). In the polling place of 240 Old Country Road, McCarthy defeated Martins by a margin of 461 to 448.

The village's polling places are broken down as follows:

Hampton Street School - Martins 847, McCarthy 720

Jackson Avenue School - Martins 699, McCarthy 662

Mineola Community Center - Martins 740, McCarthy 729

Mineola Historical Society - Martins 314, McCarthy 291

Mineola Middle School - Martins 767, McCarthy 756

Overall, McCarthy collected 153,320 votes to Martins 87,239 in the 4th Congressional District. McCarthy will serve her seventh consecutive term in Congress.

At the Village of Mineola Board of Trustees meeting last week, on the day after Election Day, Martins appeared gracious in congratulating his opponent. "I want to take this opportunity to congratulate Mrs. McCarthy. Best wishes and good luck in the next two years. We wish you and everyone else well," he said.

Now that his bid for Congress is over, Martins will have to decide if he will seek another term as Mineola mayor. He hasn't made it clear that he will seek another term. The mayor's position along with two trustee positions are up for election this coming March.

After a tough campaign, Martins will take some time and make a decision with his wife Paula on whether to seek another term. The couple has four daughters - Kaitlyn, Vanessa, Emma and Caroline.

If Martins does seek re-election, his running mates for the two trustee positions are likely to be Deputy Mayor Larry Werther and trustee Tom Kennedy.

In the race for the 7th Senate District, Democrat Craig Johnson held to his Senate seat, defeating challenger Republican Barbara Donno by a margin of 63,470 to 49,050.

Republican Senator Dean Skelos easily won his re-election bid. However, the Republican senators lost the Senate majority to the Democrats. Skelos' short tenure as Senate Majority Leader will come to an end, although Skelos will be Senate Minority Leader.

In the 17th Assembly District, Republican Assemblyman Tom McKevitt won his bid for re-election, defeating Democratic challenger John Pinto 30,282 to 21,898.

In the 16th Assembly District, Democratic Assemblywoman Michelle Schimel won her bid for re-election, defeated Republican challenger Matthew Mitchell 31,707 to 18,557.

Nassau County voters also passed a referendum to make the Nassau County Assessor an appointed position as opposed to an elected one. The assessor will now be chosen by the Nassau County Executive with ratification of the Nassau County Legislature.