Cover photo: (L-R) Chariman Garcia, Congressman Garbarino, and Congressman LaLota celebrate after both were re-elected
(Credit – Matt Meduri)
President-elect Donald Trump (R-FL) and Speaker Mike Johnson (R, LA-04) will have two more partners in government come next year.
Both Congressmen Nick LaLota (R-Amityville) and Andrew Garbarino (R-Bayport) were easily re-elected on Tuesday night, providing Republicans two seats to pad their tenuous House majority and Suffolk County with an even more seasoned congressional delegation.
LaLota, who won a three-way primary in 2022 and would go on to defeat then-Suffolk County Legislator Bridget Fleming (D-Noyac) by about eleven points, appears to have at least met, or even slightly outperformed, his 2022 margin.
LaLota soundly defeated former CNN anchor John Avlon (D-Gramercy Park), who was the subject of The Messenger’s first-in-the-nation exclusive about his documented ties to a regular Manhattan residency. Throughout the campaign, Avlon asserted that his Sag Harbor home was his primary residence, despite having purchased it through an LLC registered to his Manhattan co-op in 2017.
LaLota leveraged his strong bipartisanship and “bringing home the bacon” for the eight Suffolk towns he represents. He will now return to Congress, not only as a member of a likely GOP majority, but along with a Republican-led Senate, and President-elect Donald Trump (R-FL).
“You’ve trusted me, you’ve placed your trust in me, and I’m going to take another oath of office in just a couple of weeks, back in Washington, D.C., so I can continue to fight for you in Washington,” LaLota told supporters at the Suffolk GOP’s watch party at Patchogue’s Stereo Garden. “With your help, I campaigned on my record: more bipartisan than 85% of Congress and $150 million back home here in Suffolk County.”
LaLota added that “issues that matter” consisted of the Southern border, lower prices, SALT deductions, and reasserting the country’s standing on the world stage.
LaLota thanked his wife, daughters, and family members for their continual support, adding that his brother, a Bronze Star Veteran, is the “real pride of the family.”
LaLota was outspent by nearly $4 million this cycle, and was outspent by $3 million last cycle.
“You don’t win these races getting outspent by that much without these awesome men and women here who are fighting a good cause,” said LaLota.
The Congressman who just earned his second term also thanked the people who did not vote for him.
“You’re not garbage. You’re not un-American. I will continue to serve you, regardless of your political affiliation, regardless of who supported me,” said LaLota.
Shortly after the call for LaLota, Garbarino was projected to defeat Rob Lubin (D-Lindenhurst) by a 60%-40% margin.
“By sending myself and Nick LaLota back to Congress, we are going to put this country back on the right track!” Garbarino 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 two successful congressional wins, Republicans also held a crucial State Senate seat in the First District. Anthony Palumbo (R-New Suffolk) (pictured above) easily defeated former Suffolk County Legislator Sarah Anker (D-Mt. Sinai) 53%-47% to win a second term. Anker, who served the full six terms in the horseshoe, is currently being investigated by the Legislature for allegedly destroying and/or removing documents and electronic files from the Sixth District office before her predecessor, Chad Lennon (C-Rocky Point), was elected to the open seat in 2023.
To date, The Messenger is the only source to report on this information, besides The Long Island Advocate.
Palumbo thanked his wife, Tracy, as well as “friends in labor, law enforcement, and colleagues” who supported his campaign.
Senator Dean Murray (R-East Patchogue) was also easily re-elected with 62% of the vote, while his opponent, Michael Conroy (D), was not actively campaigning.
“Thank you for coming out and for all of your hard work,” Murray told supporters, adding sincere thanks to his district and Albany legislative staff.
In the Assembly, Southampton Town Councilman Tommy John Schiavoni (D-Sag Harbor) defeated Shelter Island Town Attorney Stephen Kiely (R-Mattituck) 56%-44% in the First District, which includes the Brookhaven communities of Eastport, East Moriches, Center Moriches, and Moriches.
In the Second District, Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio (R-Baiting Hollow) (pictured above) secured a third term over her inactive opponent, Tricia Chiaramonte (D-Manorville).
“We’re going to keep putting the values forward. We’re going to keep fighting for those budget priorities. We’re going to ensure our veterans, our teachers, and our people with disabilities are taken care of, and that the money is converted back to them instead of away from them,” Giglio told supporters.
In the Third District, Assemblyman Joe DeStefano (R-Medford) easily secured a fourth term over inactive opponent Trina Miles (D-Mastic Beach), 61%-39%.
“If I didn’t have the support of my family and my wife, Linda, I would not be standing here today,” said DeStefano, adding his thanks to Suffolk Association of Municipal Employees (AME) and law enforcement, both of which lended extensive professional backgrounds to DeStefano.
In the Fourth District, the race remains tight and uncalled between Assemblyman Ed Flood (R-Port Jefferson) (pictured above) and former Port Jefferson Trustee and Deputy Mayor Rebecca Kassay (D-Port Jefferson). As of press time, Kassay has a narrow lead of 50.2% to Flood’s 49.8%. Flood flipped the district in 2022 over then-Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket), ending a near-forty-year streak of Democratic control in the Three Village area.
“We have room to grow, we’re feeling good,” Flood told supporters on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Republicans held a mainstay in Assemblyman Doug Smith (R-Holbrook) (pictured below) 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) 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.”