An exuberant Nan Hayworth accepted the GOP candidacy for the 19th Congressional District Tuesday after a tumultuous primary season in which she was accused of collecting ballot signatures illegally by an opponent.

Hayworth defeated Wall Street businessman Neil DiCarlo, of Brewster, with nearly 68 percent of the vote.

Hayworth's Democratic opponent, Rep. John Hall (D - 19th District), had accused one of Hayworth's aides of illegally collecting signatures to get on the Independence Party ballot.

The Hayworth campaign has repeatedly denied the allegations of voter fraud, noting that they were levied against her along the Independence Party line, and not by her Republican opponent.

The 19th Congressional District encompasses parts of Westchester, Rockland and Orange County and the entirety of Putnam County.

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