For the first time in 12 years, Suffolk County on Long Island will have a new executive, replacing term limited Democrat Steve Bellone.
In this election, voters defied the national trend and chose a Republican candidate. County Executive-elect Edward Romaine expressed his excitement, proclaiming, “We crushed it, baby. We crushed it.” Romaine is pleased with the headlines highlighting his victory, especially the fact that he is the first Republican in two decades to hold the position of county executive in Suffolk County.
Bellone conveyed his congratulations to Ed Romaine for securing victory in a hard-fought campaign. In a statement, he expressed confidence in Romaine’s ability to lead the county and pledged to facilitate a smooth transition of responsibilities starting on January 1st.
Having served as the former Brookhaven town supervisor, Romaine garnered 57% of the vote in the election. The county executive-elect emphasized his initial focus on uniting the 18 legislators, stating, “My goal is to bring everyone together, find common ground, and build consensus on the things we all agree on.” For the first time
According to political analyst Michael Dawidziak, Ed Romaine is characterized as anything but an extremist. Despite the national leaning towards Democrats on Election Day, Long Island forged its own political path. Dawidziak noted, “Once again, Long Island was an outlier. While the rest of the country trended blue, Long Island went red. But this can be seen as a reaction to Albany politics.”
Christopher Malone, the associate provost of Farmingdale State College, added, “They own it all now, and it’s not surprising.” He attributed this shift to the political landscape in Albany, with a single party in control, and echoed the sentiment of response to the dynamics in Washington as well.