Republican Nick LaLota defeated Bridget Fleming for Congress in the 1st District in Tuesday’s election.
At 1:58 am, Tuesday, LaLota issued the following statement declaring victory:
“Thank you to my wife Kaylie and our three awesome daughters Maggie Rae, Reagan Elizabeth, and Brooke Murphy for standing by my side every step of the way. To my campaign team, thank you for the long hours in service to our cause. Thank you to the hard working chairmen and volunteers of the Suffolk County Republican and Conservative Parties who made this victory possible; this is our win.
“To the rank and file law enforcement – we could not have done this without your support – you put your lives and safety on the line every day for us. I’m the son of a cop and the grandson of two cops and I’ll never stop having your back and will always honor my pledge to fight for you.
“I made a lot of bipartisan promises on this campaign, and I’d like to think our victory can prove that there is a way to maintain one’s conservative ideology while also working across the aisle to benefit Long Islanders.”
Gov. Kathy Hochul defeated Republican Lee Zeldin who tried to use crime and safety fears to knock her out of the job. She became governor when Gov. Andrew Cuomo resigned the office over personal scandals, and she ran for her first full term.
Hochul said, “Given the choice, New Yorkers refuse to go backwards on our long march toward progress.”
And New York City mayor Eric Adams said, “History has been made! Congratulations to my partner in governing, Gov. Kathy Hochul, on becoming the first woman elected to be governor of New York. Tonight, women and girls across the Empire State have seen another glass ceiling shattered — and the best is yet to come.”
Shortly after polls closed, US Sen. Chuck Schumer claimed victoryTuesday night over conservative radio commentator Joe Pinion.
Attorney General Letitia James defeated Republican-Conservative Michael Henry.
LaLota stopped at Huntington Republican committee headquarters Tuesday afternoon where he was greeted by a variety of local officials, including Town Supervisor Ed Smyth, Assemblyman Keith Brown, Highway Superintendent Andre Sorrentino, County Legislator Manny Esteban and others. LaLota is running against Fleming.
Local parties exhorted their voters to get out to the polls if they hadn’t already voted early.
He told HuntingtonNow that ensuring American energy independence was his top priority when he got to Congress, reducing American reliance on foreign supplies.
US Rep. Tom Suozzi, who currently represents Huntington in Congress in the Third District, decided to run for governor but lost to Hochul in the Democratic primary. And through redistricting completed this year, Huntington was moved into the First. Suozzi was the second consecutive Democrat to represent Huntington, following US. Rep Steve Israel.
In county races, county comptroller John Kennedy was re-elected, defeatingThomas Dolan while Smithtown town clerk JVincent A. Puleo was elected county clerk. Both are Republicans.
Two propositions, one statewide on environmental protection, and a second in Suffolk County clarifying term limits, both passed.
Some how all the Fleming campaign signs were removed in the middle of the night from town roads.