Republican Bruce Blakeman is leading incumbent Democrat Laura Curran in the race for Nassau County executive.

An official winner has not been determined yet, but Blakeman was leading Curran with over 11,000 votes as of early Wednesday.

There are still absentee ballots left to be counted, but Blakeman was optimistic he would prevail.

"Our political people told us that we have a large enough lead that we're the winners, so I'm going with it, next county executive," Blakeman said.

Curran released a statement early Wednesday regarding the results, saying in part: "There are many thousands of absentee ballots that still must be counted--with more coming in. This is not over and we must trust the process. Every Nassau resident who participated in this election is owed the opportunity to have their voice heard."

New York Democratic Chairman Jay Jacobs said it came down to the "red wave," something he says has happened in other parts of the state this Election Day.

"I think it's a mood, a political environment issue," Jacobs said. "It's something we see in other counties, I'm seeing it in Suffolk, upstate New York."