Republicans Look to Paint Suffolk Red This Year

“Get out your crayons because we are going to color Suffolk County red!” declared Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine at a packed fundraiser last week for the Suffolk GOP. He is leading the Republicans as their candidate for county executive and is confident he will beat his opponent, who he said represents the Democrat migration crisis, the crime wave caused by their cashless bail law, and the high taxes and cost of living from their policies coming out of Hauppauge, Albany, and Washington.

There were so many Republican officials and candidates at the event that it took GOP Chairman Jesse Garcia almost an hour to introduce them all. Joining Romaine on the November ballot will be candidates for all 18 seats in the Suffolk Legislature, as well as supervisor, council, and other town candidates. In Brookhaven, Deputy Supervisor and Councilman Dan Panico is running for Romaine’s seat, and looking to replace him in the 6th Council District is Karen Dunne Kesnig, a Manorville attorney. Highway Superintendent Dan Losquadro is on the ticket, as well as Receiver of Taxes Lou Marcoccia.

Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine, center, raises his arms in anticipation of a GOP Red Wave in Suffolk’s elections this year. The candidate for county executive is joined by, from left, Congressman Nick LaLota, Kevin McCaffrey, the presiding officer of the Suffolk Legislature, county GOP Chairman Jesse Garcia, and Legislator Nick Caracappa File Photo

The legislature’s presiding officer, Kevin McCaffrey, is up for reelection this year, along with his GOP majority, which has taken a stand to address illegal immigrants coming into the county. They had also tabled a public vote on a sales tax increase for sewers, which they say dedicates too much money for private cesspools over public sewers. Competing in his first reelection bid is Legislator Dominick Thorne, a Patchogue resident who defeated the legislature’s presiding officer two years ago. For an open seat on the legislature, East Setauket Republican Anthony Figliola is looking to stave off former Assemblyman Steve Englebright, who lost his state seat last year in a GOP Red Wave.

Republicans are looking to duplicate the wave, which was fueled by voters concerned over public safety issues. The wave carried four Long Island representatives to Congress and changed the balance of power in the House. District Attorney Ray Tierney also benefited from backlash against the soft-on-crime stance of the Democrats as he took back the office the year before after 20 years of Democrat control. Romaine is looking to return the county’s top seat to the GOP after two decades with Steve Levy and Steve Bellone.