Rocah Makes it Official, Defeats Scarpino in Dems’ D.A Primary
Former federal prosecutor and MSNBC commentator Mimi Rocah has defeated Westchester District Attorney Anthony Scarpino in the Democratic primary.
Rocah said Scarpino called to concede the race Thursday morning when the latest ballot count numbers revealed Rocah’s margin had surpassed the remaining absentee ballots left to count.
“I am tremendously honored to be able to declare victory today in the Democratic primary for Westchester District Attorney after three weeks with more than 50,000 absentee ballots counted,” Rocah said. “I am grateful to every voter for making their voice heard during this pandemic. This result is a strong mandate from voters – they want change in Westchester’s criminal justice system as our nation reckons with police misconduct, demands greater accountability and ethics reform at all levels of government.”
Despite the large number of absentee ballots, Rocah’s victory was considered a foregone conclusion after in-person and early voting. She led by more than a 2-to-1 margin after the June 23 primary (27,759-13,082) and widened her lead to an overwhelming advantage, 66,289-25,361. The Board of Elections will certify the election once all the ballots have been counted.
After a contentious and sometimes nasty campaign, Scarpino said he looks forward to supporting Rocah and Democrats up and down the ballot in the general election.
“It has been my distinct honor to serve as district attorney and I am grateful to the people of Westchester for affording me the opportunity to do so since 2017,” Scarpino said. “I am extraordinarily proud of the public servants in the District Attorney’s Office who dedicate every day to create a safer, more just county for all. I look forward to completing my term as district attorney, a role which has been an integral part of my four-decade-long career in service to the community that I love.”
Rocah thanked Scarpino for his call and said she plans to get to work on the pressing criminal justice issues of the day, which include conviction integrity, transparency, gun violence protection and supporting sexual assault victims.
“The need for accountability and fairness in our criminal justice system has never been clearer, and I am committed to addressing racial inequality and ensuring true justice for all,” she said.
She will now face Republican Bruce Bendish in November. Bendish lost to Scarpino in 2016.
Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/