Jenkins, a Democrat, defeated Republican Christine Sculti with more than 60 percent of the vote, according to unofficial results from the Westchester County Board of Elections.
Jenkins will serve the last year of the term vacated by former County Executive George Latimer, who is now in Congress. Jenkins, Latimer’s former deputy, has been serving as executive since the Board of Legislators tapped him last month. He celebrated winning the seat outright with a watch party in White Plains Tuesday.
“My administration is gonna be compassionate, sensitive to all people’s rights, and will strive to improve the rights and lives of our hard-working Westchester people," said Jenkins.
Tuesday’s election could serve as a preview of November’s race. If Jenkins wants a full four-year term, he’ll have to run again, and he and Sculti both say they intend to do so.
The short race also got some last-minute interest from President Trump, who took to Truth Social Monday night to urge Westchester to “vote Republican,” adding, “Democrats have made Westchester County a ‘sanctuary county’ protecting criminal illegals.”
“[Republicans have] the House, the Senate, the Supreme Court, the presidency — and apparently that wasn’t enough, because the president decided to tweet," said Vedat Gashi, chairman of the county Board of Legislators. "And I’m excited, because tonight, we’re showing them what Westchester’s about. This is where the fight starts back.”
Sculti, a deputy elections commissioner and one-time chief advisor to former County Executive Rob Astorino, ran heavily on her opposition to Westchester’s Immigrant Protection Act. Passed in 2018, the law restricts how and when county law enforcement shares resident information with federal immigration authorities, requiring ICE to obtain a judicial warrant in many cases.
Sanctuary cities like New York City and Chicago have been targeted by the Trump Administration as it ramps up deportation efforts across the country. Speaking with WAMC Monday, Sculti said her first priority as Westchester County executive would have been to repeal the law.
“The public in Westchester demands safety," said Sculti. "And the only way we’re going to keep our streets safe is if we cooperate and make sure that we are helping the federal authorities when there is violent criminal, illegal immigrants who cannot and should not be released back into our neighborhoods.”
Jenkins says Westchester County is not a “sanctuary county,” and that ICE has obtained warrants to work with local agencies over the years. He touts the law as a way to help people generally feel more comfortable speaking with local officials, regardless of their immigration status.
“We don’t do the federal government’s job," he adds. "That’s why they probably need more workers, not less, to make sure that they’re able to enforce the laws that they’re responsible for. But as far as us — the county and any of our departments working with the federal government — there’s clear and defined guidelines on how that works, and the federal government has utilized that process.”
Jenkins, from Yonkers, previously ran for county executive in 2017, losing to Latimer in the Democratic primary. Before becoming Latimer’s deputy, Jenkins spent more than a decade on the Board of Legislators, and served as chairman from 2010 to 2013.
Jenkins’ campaign spotlighted his work with Latimer on issues like affordable housing and mental health. In his first weeks as executive, Jenkins signed a bill allocating $10 million for the purchase of property in downtown White Plains to construct more than 100 units for first-time homebuyers.
His speech Tuesday, however, emphasized public safety and the county’s finances — both things Sculti targeted him for during her campaign. Sculti criticized the Latimer Administration for increasing the county budget and sales tax, but Jenkins points out they managed to grow the county workforce and navigate inflation while keeping the property tax levy lower or flat.
“We’re the only county in the state of New York that has a AAA bond rating from S&P," said Jenkins. "We’re right at the doorstep with Moody’s with an AA1, with a positive outlook. And with everyone’s help, we’re going to make sure that we move Westchester forward. That's how we make sure we keep our taxes down. That previous [Astorino Administration], they kind of ruined it for everybody, but we’re bringing that back.”
