There’s a one seat change in Suffolk’s state legislative delegation with the Democrats taking back a position they lost two years ago in Northern Brookhaven. Early results show Assemblyman Ed Flood, the dark horse candidate who took out 30-year incumbent Steve Englebright in 2022, losing to Port Jefferson Deputy Mayor Rebecca Kassay.
The East End seat held by Assemblyman Fred Thiele for 30 years will stay in Democrat hands as Southampton Town Councilman Tommy John Schiavoni beat back a challenge by Steve Kiely, an attorney from Shelter Island.
In a race that saw a huge disparity in public campaign funds, GOP Senator Tony Palumbo fended off former county Legislator Sarah Anker, who received $375,000 in taxpayer largess to the incumbent’s $151,000.
Posting greater early voting numbers than in past years, Election 2024 saw the rest of the county’s Republican Assembly delegation skate back in with Joe DeStefano winning handily, along with Jodi Giglio, Doug Smith, Mike Fitzpatrick, Jarett Gandolfo, Steve Stern, Keith Brown, and Mike Durso. Democrats Phil Ramos and Kwani O’Pharrow defeated their GOP opponents.
On the senate side, Republicans Dean Murray, Alexis Weik, and Mario Mattera were swept back in. Democrat Senator Monica Martinez retained her seat over Teresa Bryant. All of the county’s GOP candidates ran with Conservative Party support.
“The popularity of Donald Trump certainly helped Republican turnout on the island, but we were were also on the right side of the issues,” said Assemblyman DeStefano, who won his fourth term in the 3rd District. “We’re pro-law enforcement, anti-illegal immigration, and we don’t want to see boys in girls’ bathrooms,” DeStefano said. Kamala Harris shot her Democrat running mates in the foot, especially on inflation and her poor performance on the economy.”
Holding unprecedented rallies in Harlem and Madison Square Garden, Trump made a play for New York’s 28 Electoral College votes, but fell short in the heavily Blue State. Still, he buoyed Republicans, just as former Congressman Lee Zeldin did in almost taking out Gov. Kathy Hochul two years ago. Running on an anti-crime platform, Zeldin’s Red Wave swept in Assemblyman Flood and gave the GOP the plurality they needed to bounce Nancy Pelosi as House speaker.
The Republican legislators will be a Red Wall for the suburbs in fighting for education aid and environmental funding against the interests of the New York City Progressives. “We’ll get the repeal of cashless bail back on the table and beat back the defund the police and anti-law enforcement policies of the Democrats,” Senator Murray said.
The 2025 State Legislative Session will see a battle for monies under the $4.2 billion Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act and the federal $1 trillion infrastructure fund which flows through Albany.
In other voting, Proposition 1 passed, giving constitutional protection to illegal aliens, transgender individuals and those seeking abortions. Proposition 2 was also approved by voters giving Suffolk the authority to raise the sales tax an eighth of a cent for sewers and private septic systems.