STATEN ISLAND — Republican Steven Matteo claimed victory in the contested Mid-Island City Council seat left open by term-limited James Oddo, who easily won the race for Staten Island borough president on Tuesday night.
After a crowded and fierce primary, Matteo clinched a victory against Democrat John Mancuso, who conceded around 10:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
"There was never a shadow of a doubt that we were going to win this," Matteo said during his victory speech at the Excelsior Grand in New Dorp. "We took the high road this whole campaign."
With 59% of the precincts reported, Matteo beat Mancuso with 62% of the vote for the seat.
In the borough president race, Republican Oddo easily defeated Democrat Lou Liedy with 70% of the vote with 67% of the precincts reporting.
In his victory speech, Oddo said he would try to reach out to the entire borough and try to work for everybody on Staten Island.
"For those who supported me, I will try to be worthy of your trust," he said. "And for those who did not, I will try to earn it and my hand is out to you."
Liedy also showed up to the GOP results party to concede to Oddo in person, and congratulated the borough president-elect.
Oddo's vacant council seat will be filled by his long-time chief of staff Matteo.
"I know him more from Jim Oddo, so I went with him," Irene Harrison, 70, who voted at New Dorp High School on Tuesday morning, said.
Matteo ended his speech saying that after a long, vitriolic campaign, he's happy to finally get to work for the district, which is still struggling to rebuild a year after Hurricane Sandy.
"It's time to go to work," Matteo said. "It's time to lead, it's time to take care of the Mid-Island."
In the other island races, Councilman Vincent Ignizio defeated Democrat Chris Walsh to keep his South Shore council seat, and Councilwoman Debi Rose won over Republican Mark Macron for the North Shore.
