Cover photo: Chairman Garcia (left) and Congressman LaLota (right) after his successful re-election (Credit – Matt Meduri)
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.
Smithtown voters easily sent Senator Mario Mattera (R-St. James) and Assemblyman Mike Fitzpatrick (R-St. James) back to Albany for another two years.
Mattera defeated first-time candidate Craig Herskowitz (D-Northport) by nearly twenty points – 59%-41%. Herskowitz had initially run for NY-01 in the Democratic Primary, but dropped out to run for this seat. He leveraged his time as counsel to Governor Cuomo (D) as a qualification for the seat, but Smithtown and Huntington voters opted for Mattera, a vocal advocate for his constituents and for conservative policies in Albany.
Likewise, Assemblyman Fitzpatrick easily dispatched his opponent, first-time candidate Steven Basileo (D-St. James). Basileo’s platform primarily consisted of negativities towards Fitzpatrick’s record, primarily on his pro-life beliefs and lack of concordance with certain labor unions.
Nonetheless, voters opted to send Fitzpatrick to Albany for a thirteenth term. Regularly classified as the “most conservative” member of the state legislature, Basileo’s grievances didn’t seem to pan out with voters, as the St. James Republican took 66% of the vote to Basileo’s 34%.
Fitzpatrick, on the other hand, ran a campaign on his record representing his constituents accurately, strict fiscal conservatism, and a classically pragmatic method of bipartisanship, one that has earned him a good rapport with Governor Kathy Hochul (D) as he hopes to see his idea to rebrand the SUNY system into a University of New York (UNY) come to fruition.
The Eighth Assembly District consists of the entire Town of Smithtown, as well as the Village of Islandia, and the Islip portions of Hauppauge.
“We are changing the course of history tonight, ladies and gentleman,” Suffolk County Republican Party Chairman Jesse Garcia (R-Ridge) (pictured above) 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.
“We are going to have historic turnout tonight in Suffolk County,” said Romaine (pictured below), which was corroborated by historic leads in the early vote. “Every day I come to work, I think of the people who gave me the honor of being elected your county executive.”
State results show that Republicans appear to have broken the supermajority in the State Senate, according to Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt’s (R-North Tonawanda) statement.
“Here in New York, voters rejected the Senate Supermajority that has pushed extreme policies that have made New York less affordable and less safe,” said Ortt. “Along with our newly elected member and returning incumbents, the New York State Senate Republican Conference stands ready to continue our work to make New York affordable and safe, and we will not rest until it’s done.”
The final fate of the Democrats’ Assembly supermajority remains uncalled, as key races are still not finally projected.
Suffolk Republicans held seven seats, while Democrats held three. 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%. 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.
