On Tuesday, Republican Mazi Melesa Pilip defeated Democratic challenger Weihua Yan, concluding the high-profile race for County Legislator. Pilip, who first took office in 2021, will serve another term representing Nassau County’s 10th District.
Originally born in Ethiopia, Pilip moved to Israel at the young age of 12 fleeing religious persecution. She then went on to serve as a paratrooper in the Israel Defense Forces before earning degrees from the University of Haifa and Tel Aviv University. She now lives in Great Neck with her husband and seven children.
In her re-election campaign, she advocated for lower taxes, increased police presence, clean drinking water, and fixing roads. In addition, after the Hamas terror attacks of Oct. 7, her support of Israel and the fight against antisemitism resonated strongly with voters. Some North High students expressed their content with Pilip’s re-election, citing her accomplishments for Israel and the Jewish community.
“I’m glad Mazi got re-elected because she is the best for the Jewish people and has done so much for us,” said junior Liona Kohansieh. She continued, “I can’t wait to see what else she will do for our community.”
Others expressed similar thoughts, saying that the Israel-Hamas conflict was a rallying cry for her voters.
“I believe Mazi’s strong support for Israel and constant dedication to the Jewish community throughout her time as county legislator played a major role in this election,” said sophomore Greg Lyakhov.
Weihua Yan ran an unsuccessful bid to unseat Pilip. Yan, who is also an immigrant, came to the United States from China as an exchange student, earning degrees from Bowdoin College and Brown University.
In addition to being a successful businessman who founded several software and e-commerce companies, he was elected as the president of the Great Neck Library Trustees and served until 2022. He lives in Great Neck with his wife and two kids.
Yan’s motivations for running stemmed from wanting to be a voice for the Asian American community. Some of his goals included lowering taxes, funding education, public safety, supporting small businesses, and protecting the environment.
In addition, he wanted to hold Pilip accountable for her role in helping Congressman George Santos get elected in 2022. Santos has come under fire for falsifying his resume and lying about his Jewish heritage. He faces 23 criminal charges, many of which include identity theft and fraud.
Some students expressed regret over Yan’s defeat, calling it a blow to the Asian American community.
“Weihua Yan’s loss was completely devastating,” said sophomore Ethan Hwang. “I was confident in his ability to win the election.”
Evidently, both Pilip and Yan worked very diligently during their campaigns in order to encourage residents to show up to the polls on election day.
Oftentimes, local elections are overlooked, but they are crucial in terms of what happens in the community. Congratulations to both candidates on a hard-fought election.
