Nassau Democrats made unprecedented gains across the county yesterday, taking control of the legislature and winning seats they never held before in Republican strongholds of Oyster Bay and Hempstead.

The victories in Nassau were unprecedented. Even Republican town board incumbents in Hempstead, where no Democrat has been elected since 1917, were having trouble. While Hempstead Supervisor Richard Guardino won his race, Democrat Dorothy Goosby was leading a field of six seeking three seats on the town board, and another Democrat was in second place.

"It's incredible," said [Jeffrey] Toback. "The budget problems were so obvious, and they could not explain them away." However, Nassau Republican Chairman Joseph Mondello said that his party is "alive and well and viable and will be tomorrow when we start the election for 2000 The people of Nassau County have spoken: It's time to take this county in a new direction. We respect their decision." Democrats in Nassau were elated from the time early returns showed veteran incumbents like Legis. Edward Ward, a Hempstead Republican, trailing. Ward lost, as did Darlene Harris in Hempstead and Thomas Glynn in Rockville Centre.