Suffolk Democrats make midterm gains

A blue wave struck most of the country during this week’s midterm elections, and in Suffolk County, Democrats flipped a few state legislature seats, with Republicans holding most of their incumbencies.

Democrats and Republicans eagerly awaited results on election night Nov. 3 at their county committees respective parties in Holtsville and Patchogue, with Democrats dancing into the early morning as their party gained majorities in both Congressional chambers, and flipped two state legislature seats locally.

“The tide has turned,” said Suffolk County Democratic Committee chair, Rich Schaffer. “Voters have returned to Democrats to bring [them] back [to] the issues that matter.”

At the Republican’s election night gathering, county chair Jessie Garcia countered the Democrat’s enthusiasm.

“We will make sure if there is a national blue wave, we will stop it here in Suffolk County and we will be victorious,” Garcia said.

Republicans held all of their federal, state, and county seats in Suffolk County except the east end’s First State Assembly District, where Christopher Murrary defeated Republican incumbent Anthony Palumbo by a margin of 51.66 to 48.3 percent, and in the Third State Assembly District, which includes Bellport, Medford, Mastic, Shirley, and Yaphank.

In that district, Democrat Joshua Slaughter defeated incumbent Republican Joseph DeStefano, who held the seat since 2019, by winning 51.13 percent to DeStefano’s 48.80 percent, an 11.5 percent Democratic swing.

“I feel great, we worked hard, this was a race that from the beginning was grassroots,” Slaughter said. “It was about putting working people back at the center of our politics. When middle-class families are struggling, they want a fighter who is going to focus on the economic issues that they’re struggling with.”

Slaughter said his day-one priorities include removing the railroad crossing on the William Floyd Parkway through an over or underpass, cleaning up the Brookhaven Landfill, and “cracking down on insurance companies ripping people off.”

Both U.S. House races in Suffolk County remained close into Wednesday morning, with U.S. Rep. Nicholas LaLota winning the First District, and U.S. Rep winning reelection to the Second District, each between two-to-three percent.

Garbarino defeated Democratic challenger Pat Halpin with 49.67 percent of the vote, to Halpin’s 47.43 percent, or about 5,600 votes.

Assemblyman Douglas Smith introduced Garbarino for his victory speech emphasizing he was a “returning” congressman (Garbarino has served the second congressional district since 2021).
“Anytime they talk about a blue wave, Suffolk just pushes back,” said Garbarino. “Things got closer than we wanted, but we still came out on top.” Garbarino’s speech was at approximately 11:00 pm and major news outlets like News12 and NBC had declared the race too close to call as late as 8 am Wednesday morning, but ultimately declared Garbarino the winner.

Halpin did not immediately concede the race, even after Garbarino declared victory.

“This is much closer than any of the so-called political experts thought it would ever be,” Halpin, who was the closest Democrat to win the district since Tim Bishop in 2012, said. “I gave it my best because this is the most important election in our lifetime.”

Republican incumbent Dean Murray took the win with 53.94 percent of the vote in the Third State Senate District to Democrat Antonio Vargas-Ayala, who did not actively campaign.

“Thank you, I’d like to say a very special thank you to one group in particular that was out every day knocking on doors and talking to voters getting out there for all of us,” Murray said. “We have the greatest team here in Suffolk County. [...] We will continue to fight for you.”

Jarett C. Gandolfo, Republican, Conservative, took the win in the Eighth State Senate District  with 58.95 percent of the vote to Democrat Joshua James Taveras. After serving in the state assembly for nearly six years, Gandolfo said he sought higher office so his work can have greater impacts for Long Islanders.

“It’s not the night we wanted, but we do have some victories in Suffolk County. We will build this up and we will come back stronger and take back seats in the next two years,” Gandolfo said.

Republican DawnMarie D. Kuhn defeated Democrat Trish Kopp with a total of 54.18 percent of the vote in the vacant Seventh State Assembly District.

“Running for New York State Assembly is something I never imagined my trajectory of my life would be on but I am so honored to be your next New York State Assembly woman,” Kuhn said, also thanking her team. “It’s so humbling to see how many people came out to support me.”

Currently an Islip Town Council Member, Kuhn will likely resign from her council seat effective Jan. 1, according to State Assembly member and Town of Islip Republican Committee chair, Doug Smith. Under Islip Town Code, Smith said Kuhn’s vacant position will be up for election next November, but that the Town Board might appoint someone to fill the vacancy before then.

In the Sixth State Assembly District, and Fourth State Senate District, senator and assembly person Philip Ramos and Monica Martinez both won reelection, with 76.36 percent, and 66.23 percent of the vote, respectively.

For Suffolk County Comptroller, Daniel Losquadro, current Brookhaven Town Highway Department superintendent, narrowly defeated Democrat Jonathan Estreich with 50.57 percent of the vote.

Incumbent statewide Democratic leaders, Gov. Kathy Hochul, Attorney General Letitia James, and Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, each defeated their Republican opponents by at least 20 percent. In Suffolk County, Hochul won a majority of votes, with 50.31 percent of the vote, alongside DiNapoli and James.

With Democratic swings nationwide, party leaders in Suffolk County feel confident looking to the future.

“This is just the start of the beginning,” Schaffer said. “For ‘27, we’re gonna go after the county executive’s race. [In] 2028, we go after the Suffolk County Legislature… Stay tuned.”

All vote tallies are as of early Wednesday, Nov. 4.