Joseph Addabbo Jr. Claims Victory In Senate Race Against Maio

FOREST HILLS, QUEENS – Many races in Queens are still awaiting final results after voters headed to the ballots on Tuesday, Nov. 8, to vote for congressional, state senate, and assembly candidates.

In Forest Hills, residents are keeping their eyes on the state senate race to represent District 15, which also encompasses Ozone Park, the Rockaways and other neighborhoods.

Joseph Addabbo Jr. claimed victory on Wednesday in the race against Republican candidate Danniel S. Maio to represent the district, but official results have not been posted yet.

“Today my team and I got to open the doors of my district offices to once again get to work helping the people of the 15th Senate District," Addabbo said in a statement. He said he will focus on "strengthening our police force, protecting our coastal communities, safely expanding gaming in New York and assisting our working-class families."

Preliminary results from the Board of Elections show that Addabbo accounts for 55.4% of the votes (27,980) versus Maio’s 39.49% (19,920) as of 12:28 a.m. Wednesday.

Addabbo comes from a political lineage including his father, Joseph P. Addabbo Sr., who served 13 terms in the House of Representatives. Addabbo was first elected to the New York City Council and then to the state Senate in 2008.

The Queens native serves as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Racing, Gaming and Wagering. He’s also a member of the Senate Committees on Aging, Civil Service and Pensions, Children and Families, Education, and Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs.

Maio, a mapmaker from Forest Hills and former candidate for Queen's borough president, also ran for the seat in Queens' 28th Assembly District on an independent party line called "COVID-19 Stories."

If elected, Maio has pledged to repeal bail reform, close homeless shelters, and prioritize transportation and parking spaces over parks, according to his campaign page.