STATEN ISLAND — A month after the chair of the Staten Island GOP resigned due to conflict among party members, the borough's Republicans selected John Antoniello as his replacement, the Staten Island Advance reported.
Antoniello was unanimously elected to replace outgoing party chair Bob Scamardella, who resigned over recent fighting over a city council primary and a Board of Elections appointment.
Antoniello, a retired public school teacher and former chairman of Community Board 3, praised Scamardella for bringing in 220 new members and strengthening the party's fundraising, the Advance reported.
"You have brought this party back to its rightful place on this island," he said. "You have set the gold standard for those who follow."
During his speech at the Hilton Garden Inn in Bloomfield, Scamardella said that he left the chair without bitterness and will continue to be active in the GOP, the Advance reported.
Scamardella resigned due to disagreements between himself and City Councilman James Oddo over the Mid-Island primary, last year's South Shore Assembly race and a pick for a Board of Election appointee that went public. Oddo told the Advance the two haven't spoken in months.
After the announcement, Scamardella said he was proud of the work he's done as the leader, and Antoniello was the right man to replace him.
"When you put your heart and soul into something and it ends, it's emotional," Scamardella told the Advance. "I'm very proud of what I've done for the party. It's in good hands with John Antoniello."
Aside from Antoniello, the Staten Island GOP also elected William D'Ambrosio as the party's first vice chairman, to replace Frank Aversa.
