DuWayne Gregory, the former Suffolk legislative aide to Elie Mystal, who stepped down suddenly in March, won the special election July 29, earning him Mystal's seat. As he sat in his office Aug. 5, talking about the results, he was already working to put into place some of the initiatives he talked about during the campaign, including addressing the prob­lem of gang violence, which has permeated the 15th legisla­tive district he now represents.

"I feel great," said Gregory. "The public has validated the work that I have done throughout this district for a long time." Gregory said that throughout the campaign he waged against Edward F. White of For the People, Jordon Wilson, the Republican and Louis Moninaro, the Conservative, he was continuously fortified by the response of those whose doors he knocked on. "They told me that they appreciate what I had done, and the fact that they had access to their government and could talk about issues," said Gregory.

White had waged a hard campaign a year after he had en­tered the political foray in his first race for the district against Mystal. He pointed out at that time that Mystal was an "ab­sentee"

lawmaker who was not there to adequately represent the people of the 15th district. He charged that the two major parties had conspired to ensure that a minority would remain in the seat to ward off a major redistricting by the federal government to bring equity to the legislature. Both parties and Gregory denied the charges saying they were more of White's political conspiracy theories.

White had hoped to garner the Republican and Conserva­tive nod this time around, but was rejected by both parties in favor of Wilson and Molinaro. In a strange twist to an al­ready

strange race, Molinaro, whose name appeared on the ballot, swung his support to White, publicly chastising the Conservative leadership for placing his name on the ballot without his consent. In the final hours before the election, the Republicans too had their share of drama. Wilson was abandoned by the party after he collected signatures on peti­tions for a candidate to run against Republican Sen. Owen Johnson. Following the election, White said that the people had spoken and that he was preparing to run again next year. His loss to Gregory was the result of Gregory's "playing the race card," he said.

"He called me a David Duke in a Newsday article and I got hammered and did not have time to respond to that," said White. "The machine beat me, but he (Gregory) and the parties should not be proud of the way they won."

Gregory said the comments during the campaign were nothing more than political bantering and gamesmanship. "I am mov­ing on," he said.

Ironically, had White gotten the Conser­vative and Republican lines, he would have squeaked out a victory of 50.12 percent to Gregory's 49.88 percent, unofficial tallies show. That is unusual in the 15th district, which is heavily Democratic and brings in wide margins of victory for the Democrats in regular elections. That is likely attributed to the low voter turnout, with only 8.48 percent of the 3,268 registered voters getting to the polls July 29. White brought in 33.45 percent on the For the People line; Wilson 15.54 on the Repub­lican

and Community lines and Molinaro 1.13 percent on the Conservative line.

"Anyone who wanted to see White elect­ed got out and voted for him July 29," said one Democrat talking about the results. "The only difference a larger turnout would have meant was that Gregory's numbers would have been higher."

Meanwhile, Gregory has been appointed as Chairman of the Labor and Workforce housing committee, and as a member of the Health and Human Services and Public Safety committees, posts he requested, he said. "I am already working on some things that are important to this district and look forward to serving."