After Redistricting: Candidate Can't Name Best Place to Get a Slice in Port

Nassau County lawmaker Wayne Wink warned this week that voters will not know who their legislators are due to recent legislative redistricting pushed through by Republicans — apparently, some candidates might not be too familiar with their new districts either.

New redistricting boundaries forced Wink, D-Roslyn, to drop out of the county race in District 11 and has left other candidates scrambling to familiarize themselves with their new territories.

Campaigning at a forum Wednesday in Manhasset, Nassau District 11 candidate Delia DeRiggi-Whitton struggled to answer a question familiar to most anyone familiar with Port Washington: Where can you get the best slice of pizza?

Currently serving Nassau's 18th Legislative District, the first-term Democratic lawmaker from Glen Cove said she was familiar with Port Washington having lived in Sands Point for two years after graduating from college — but she couldn't come up with the name of her favorite pizza parlor in town.  

"The corner of Main Street, that's the one I know," said DeRiggi-Witton. "The one across from the gas station."

Earlier this month, DeRiggi-Witton celebrated the official opening of her Port Washington headquarters at 191 Main St., nearby to some of Port's best pizza places.

Her Republican opponent, a Glen Cove resident who has kept a boat in Port Washington for more than a decade, had less trouble answering the question directly.

"Salvatore's Brick Oven Pizza," said District 11 candidate John DiMascio, with the answer garnering some applause by the many Port Washington residents in the audience at Unitarian Universalist Congregation.

Port Washington favorite Salvatore's Coal Oven Pizza is located at 124 Shore Rd.

District 11 lines, which for years have included Port Washington, were redrawn earlier this year to include Glen Cove. Roslyn, formerly in District 11, was split into four districts.