Jennifer DeSena for North Hempstead Supervisor

After 35 years of one-party Democratic rule in North Hempstead, Jennifer DeSena - a registered Democrat running on the Republican line - won the Supervisor's election two years ago. She is a breath of fresh air - but it hasn't been easy.

Stung by the unexpected loss, the TNH Democrats, who still hold a 4-3 majority on the Town Board, "doubled-down" to make Jen DeSena's tenure a living hell: No Town Comptroller for 18 months; Fake charges filed against her aides - just to generate negative press stories; Republicans put in windowless storage rooms with no ventilation; Orders to the Town's bureaucrats to "ignore" the Supervisor and her staff. Political vengeance.

What DeSena replaced was decades of one-party Democratic abuse, patronage and self-dealing. A Building Department that took bribes, extorted homeowners and businesses; A Democratic Chairman who demanded that young men sexually submit to him as a condition for receiving a town job; A Democratic Party patronage swamp that gave taxpayer-funded "jobs to the idiot nephews" of the Democratic bosses.

Presiding over that swamp for a decade was former Supervisor Jon Kaiman. He was forced out in 2013 after a series of staff arrests, jailings, and scandals - and even an anti-Christian bigotry incident involving Kaiman.

But now Kaiman - fresh off a six-figure Suffolk political patronage job, and two losing elections for US Congress - wants his old job back. He has no vision. No program. But like so many TNH Democrats over the decades, he feels he is "entitled" to hold office.

Jen DeSena has cut taxes, delivered services, and even suspended the corrupt Building Commissioner - over the howls of angry Democrats. With a majority, she promises the full transparency the Democrats have blocked, and a "top-to-bottom" clean-out of the Democrats' patronage slop bucket. DeSena has earned re-election and deserves a Town Board majority to implement her policies.

The Leader strongly endorses Jen DeSena for North Hempstead Supervisor.