Denis E. Dillon

Denis E. Dillon
District Attorney of Nassau County
In office January 1, 1975 – December 31, 2005
Preceded by	William Cahn
Succeeded by	Kathleen Rice
Personal details
Born	(1933-12-21)December 21, 1933 The Bronx, New York City
Died	October 15, 2010(2010-10-15) (aged 76) Rockville Centre, New York
Political party	Republican (1988–2010) Democratic (1955–1988)[1]
Alma mater	Fordham University

Denis E. Dillon (December 21, 1933 – August 15, 2010), was an American prosecutor and politician who served as District Attorney of Nassau County, New York, from 1975 to 2005. Dillon was well known for his opposition to abortion rights, and the issue prompted his defection to the Republican Party in 1989, having previously been one of the very few Democratic politicians to have success in Nassau County. Prior to his defection, Dillon challenged incumbent Democrat Mario Cuomo from the right in the 1986 New York gubernatorial election, finishing in third place with 3% of the vote as the nominee of the New York State Right to Life Party.

First elected to a three-year term as District Attorney in 1974, Dillon was re-elected to 7 four-year terms, losing in his attempt to win a ninth term in 2005 to Democratic nominee Kathleen Rice. In the history of New York, only Robert Morgenthau of New York County (Manhattan) and William V. Grady of Dutchess County have served longer as a District Attorneys, although Robert M. Carney of Schenectady County will also surpass Dillon's mark prior to the expiration of his current term.