Throne-Holst, Bender, Zappone Lead Dems' Slate

The Southampton Town Democratic Committee endorsed incumbent Town Supervisor Anna Throne-Holst for a third term during a nominating convention Thursday, making official the third consecutive match-up between Throne-Holst and political rival Linda Kabot.

Throne-Holst ousted Kabot, a Quogue Republican, from the supervisor's seat during the 2009 election. Then in 2011, Throne-Holst was the only candidate on the ballot and Kabot waged an unsuccessful write-in campaign. As Kabot tries to reclaim the seat this time around, she does so with the official GOP endorsement.

Throne-Holst first joined the Town Board in 2007 when she was elected councilwoman. A resident of Noyac, she previously worked as the director of the Bridgehampton Child Care and Recreation Center and she was a founder of Hayground School.

For the Town Council race, the Democrats picked Brad Bender, who will be making his second run, and Frank Zappone, the deputy town supervisor.

Bender, a resident of Northampton and member of the Independence Party, finished with the third-most votes in the 2011 council race for two seats. He fell behind Democrat Bridget Fleming, who was re-elected, and Republican Christine Scalera, of Water Mill, who earned her first term.

Bender is a building contractor who is active in the Flanders, Riverside and Northampton Community Association, of which he has served as president. He also serves on the Southampton Town Affirmative Action Task Force and Anti-Bias Task Force.

Zappone, of Shinnecock Hills, a Democrat, is a past chairman of the Southampton, Tuckahoe, Shinnecock Hills Citizens Advisory Committee and retired from serving as a school principal in Westchester.

The town council race is wide open, as neither incumbent councilman will be on the ballot. Councilman Chris Nuzzi, a Republican, of Westhampton Beach, hit the two-term limit after eight years on the board and is now running for a seat on the Suffolk County Legislature against incumbent Legislator Jay Schneiderman, I-Montauk. Councilman Jim Malone, a member of the Conservative Party and resident of Hampton Bays, declined to seek re-election,

Zappone and Bender face Republican nominees Stan Glinka, of Hampton Bays, and Jeff Mansfield, of Bridgehampton.

In the race for highway superintendent, the Democratic Committee nominated incumbent Alex Gregor, of Hampton Bays, for a second term. Gregor is a member of the Independence Party who won his position four years ago with the support of the Democrats.

Gregor faces Republican nominee David Betts, of North Sea, who is the chief town investigator for Southampton's code enforcement department.

The Democrats put forward a full slate of nominees in the Southampton Town Trustees election.

The committee once again backed Fred Havemeyer and Eric Shultz, who were formerly Republicans. The Democrats chose to cross-endorse the pair in 2011, but the Southampton GOP did not take kindly to their incumbents accepting the offer. Havemeyer and Shultz were removed from Republican campaign literature during the 2011 election and spent Election Night with the Democrats. Following their re-election, they switched their registration to Democrat.

Bill Pell, a member of the Independence Party and an incumbent trustee, once again received the Democratic endorsement.

Rounding out the ticket are Democrats John Bouvier, of Westhampton, and Howard Pickerall, of Water Mill.

The five face just four Republican nominees: incumbent Trustee Ed Warner, second-time trustee candidate Scott Horowitz, Ray Overton and Cornelius Kelly. Kelly, of East Quogue, came on the political scene in 2011 when he challenged Schneiderman in the legislator race.

Incumbent trustee Jon Semlear, a Republican, is not seeking re-election after 20 years in his position.

The Democrats and Republicans have cross-endorsed Town Clerk Sundy Schermeyer  and Town Justices Barbara Wilson and Deborah Kooperstein.