In addition to Donald Trump (R-FL) winning the presidency in a historic fashion, he will be joined in the House by Congressman Andrew Garbarino (R-Bayport), while Albany will receive proven incumbents.
Shortly after Congressman Nick LaLota (R-Amityville) was projected to defeat John Avlon (D-Gramercy Park) in NY-01, Garbarino was projected to beat Rob Lubin (D-Lindenhurst) in NY-02 by a margin of 60%-40%.
“By sending myself and Nick LaLota back to Congress, we are going to put this country back on the right track!” Garbarino (pictured below) told a fired-up crowd at Patchogue’s Stereo Garden. “We have seen what has happened over the last four years, and we aren’t going to take it anymore. We need to continue to fight, and next year, when Donald Trump is president, and with a Republican Senate and House, we can close our borders, lower taxes, and we can get our economy back on track again.”
“We are changing the course of history tonight, ladies and gentleman,” Suffolk County Republican Party Chairman Jesse Garcia (R-Ridge) told enthusiastic attendees on Tuesday night. Garcia extended his thanks to the thousands of committee members and volunteers across the county who helped bring home positive results on Tuesday. He further heralded the county’s tectonic movement towards the Republican Party since he became chairman in 2019, with a 2021 red wave that delivered a majority in the County Legislature for the first time in fifteen years and a Republican District Attorney in Ray Tierney for the first time in over twenty years. Finally, he brought County Executive Ed Romaine (R-Center Moriches) on stage, the first Republican elected to the spot since 1999.
Besides the successful congressional win, which will help pad Republicans’ tenuous House majority, Islip re-elected all of its State-level incumbents
In the Fifth District, Republicans held a mainstay in Assemblyman Doug Smith (R-Holbrook) (pictured above) in the Fifth District, who defeated Michael Reynolds (D-Lake Ronkonkoma) 65%-35%.
“Did we send a message to Kathy Hochul (D) in Suffolk County tonight?” asked Smith, to thunderous applause. “We will be vocal with Governor Hochul!” he added, referencing a line coined by Senator Mario Mattera (R-St. James). “We want a future for our children and grandchildren; we’re going to continue that fight in Albany.”
In the Seventh District, which includes Patchogue, Blue Point, parts of East Patchogue, and all of Brookhaven’s parcels of Fire Island, Assemblyman Jarett Gandolfo (R-Sayville) (pictured below) cruised to re-election over Garrett Petersen (D-East Islip), 63%-37%
“Long Island is sick and tired of Kathy Hochul’s agenda. We don’t want to be a sanctuary state and we want to stand with our law enforcement,” said Gandolfo. “And in two years, we are taking back the governorship, and Suffolk County will lead the way.”
The Eighth Assembly District, which contains Islandia and the Islip portions of Hauppauge, will continue being represented by Assemblyman Mike Fitzpatrick (R-St. James). He easily dispatched first-time candidate Steven Basileo (D-St. James) 66%-34%.
In the Ninth District, which includes West Islip, Assemblyman Mike Durso (R-Massapequa Park) defeated his inactive opponent Steven DellaVecchia (D) 68%-32%.
In the Sixth District, Assemblyman and Deputy Speaker Phil Ramos (D-Brentwood) was re-elected with 66% over inactive opponent Daniel Mitola (R).
Finally, in the Twelfth District, Assemblyman Keith Brown (R-Northport) earned a third term over inactive opponent Steven Cox (D) 57%-43%.
“As [Huntington GOP Chairman] Tom McNally says, ‘the people who sacrifice the most are the people who are significant others,’ our wives, husbands, kids,” said Brown. “We’re not home all day because we’re trying to save this state from one-party rule, and I give my thanks to my wife Barbara.”
“It’s a great night to be a Republican in Suffolk County!” Brown (pictured below) added.
In the Senate, Senator Alexis Weik (R-Sayville) easily defeated her inactive opponent, Francis Dolan (D), 68%-32%.
“This is the best turnout, the numbers are wonderful,” said Weik (pictured below), adding that the State Senate will maintain their promises and hold the line in Albany.
In the Fourth District, Senator Monica Martinez (D-Brentwood) clinched a second term over inactive opponent Theresa Bryant (R-Central Islip) by a margin of 56%-44%.
Two races, Assembly District Four and Assembly District Eleven, are currently too close to call. In the former, Assemblyman Ed Flood (R-Port Jefferson) is in a dead heat with former Port Jefferson Trustee and Deputy Mayor Rebecca Kassay (D-Port Jefferson). Kassay leads 50.2% to Flood’s 49.8%.
“We have room to grow, we’re feeling good,” Flood told supporters on Tuesday.
In the latter, the open-seat contest is remarkably close in Suffolk, with Kwani O’Pharrow (D-West Babylon) leading Joe Cardinale (R-Amityville) by a single vote in the Suffolk portion of the district – 23,855 to 23,854. The district also contains parts of Massapequa, where O’Pharrow has a two hundred-vote lead.
