ALBANY — Democrats appear to have won several major victories in the New York City suburbs in Tuesday’s elections, boosting the party’s claim that it’s poised to make big gains with Donald Trump sitting in the White House.
In Westchester County, Democratic state Sen. George Latimer ousted Republican executive Rob Astorino. Astorino had plenty of fodder to use against his opponent, most notably an unpaid $46,000 property tax bill. But Latimer continually highlighted connections between the two-term incumbent and Trump, and that message seemed to resonate with voters: Latimer led by 14 points with about 80 percent of districts reporting
In Nassau County, Democrat Laura Curran declared victory over Republican Jack Martins in the executive race. There’s a chance paper ballots will be counted, but Curran, a county legislator, had a comfortable 51-48 lead with every district reporting.
Both of these races flip county offices that were picked up by Republicans in 2009, a year before the GOP made significant gains in congressional and state legislative contests. They weren’t the only major suburban contests that Democrats had leads in.
The most jaw-dropping result came in Hempstead. The Nassau town of over 770,000 residents has never elected a Democratic supervisor in the century since the post was created, but Democrat Laura Gillen led incumbent Republican Anthony Santino 80,214-77,946 after every district had reported.
And in the Suffolk sheriff race — which, as recently as September, Democrats were accused of trying to throw — Democrat Errol Toulon led Republican Lawrence Zacarese by about 1,400 votes.
In a sign of how bad the night was for the GOP, two of the highest-profile losses suffered by Democrats across the state were to candidates who aren’t actually Republicans.
Ben Walsh, who ran on the Independence and Reform lines, easily defeated Democrat Juanita Perez Williams in a competitive Syracuse mayoral race.
And in Erie County, Assemblyman Mickey Kearns defeated Democratic candidate Steven Cichon to be the county’s next clerk. Kearns, who’s a registered Democrat but ran on the GOP line, led 52-48 with all but two districts reporting.
Republicans did win some other notable races — Joe Saladino won the Oyster Bay supervisor post that he was appointed to earlier this year, incumbents like Rockland’s Ed Day held onto their posts and Erie County sheriff Timothy Howard appeared to narrowly defeat a competitive challenger.
But overall, the results were cause for the state’s Democratic leaders to celebrate.
“Tonight, the people of New York and across the country have spoken,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. “And they resoundingly rejected Trump’s presidency and the disciples of the extreme conservative gospel.”
Organized labor, which generally tilts toward Democrats in competitive races in New York, was also able to brag about the success of its campaign urging a “no” vote on the constitutional convention question, which had received the support of less than 17 percent of voters with 97 percent of districts across the state reporting.
“Tonight, New York saw what happens when labor organizes, mobilizes, and acts as one to protect working people,” said the New York State United Teacher’s Andy Pallotta.
The results in the state echoed big Democratic wins on Tuesday in Virginia and New Jersey.
“These victories are part of the ‘blue wave’ which is sweeping our state and nation,” said Senate Minority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins. “County Executive-elect Latimer and Curran’s wins are proof that the voters are rejecting Donald Trump and want progressive leadership to move our state forward.”
Republicans, however, disputed the notion that the results bode poorly for their party going forward.
“This is a bad one. We haven’t done well,” Nassau Republican chair Joe Mondello
Here’s a look at the results of races from throughout the state:
Capital Region
One notable pickup for Republicans came in Niskayuna, where the 34-year-old Yasmine Syed ousted Schenectady Democratic chair Joe Landry as supervisor.
Democrat Meg Kelly won an open mayoral race in Saratoga Springs.
Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan, a Democrat, received about 70 percent of the vote in her bid for a second term.
Ulster Democrat Julian Schreibman defeated Albany Republican Peter Crummey in a state Supreme Court race.
Democratic Colonie Supervisor Paula Mahan won a tenth term.
Central New York
Here’s more on Ben Walsh’s convincing win in Syracuse. He’s the first third-party candidate to be elected the city's mayor since the Progressive Party’s Louis Will won the 1913 contest.
The GOP maintained its control of the Onondaga County Legislature.
Finger Lakes
In an upset, former Greece Police Chief Todd Baxter ousted Monroe County sheriff Patrick O’Flynn, a Republican who has held the post for four terms.
Democrats had a good overall night in Rochester’s suburbs, where they “seized control of Henrietta town government and made inroads in Clarkson and Pittsford.”
Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren won a second term with about 60 percent of the vote.
And the Yates County town of Barrington voted to end its status as a dry town, and will now let people buy alcohol at bars and restaurants.
Hudson Valley
The Journal News has more on Latimer’s win over Astorino.
Republican Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus was reelected.
So was Republican Rockland County Executive Ed Day.
Kiryas Joel has seceded from Monroe. Over 80 percent of voters approved of the Hasidic village’s attempt to create a new town called Palm Tree, New York’s first new town in over three decades.
Republicans appear to have held control of the Ulster County Legislature.
In Dutchess County, it looks like Democrats gained legislative seats, but fell short of a majority. Democrat Robert Lois led Republican Jim Coughlan, though the race will likely come down to paper ballots.
Long Island
Here’s more on Curan’s apparent win, which will make her Nassau County’s first female executive.
Gillen said she is “ecstatic” and “thrilled” to be Hempstead’s first Democratic supervisor, but Republican Anthony Santino has yet to concede. In the Glen Cove mayoral race, incumbent Republican Reginald Spinello ended the night with a 21-vote lead.
There are five new supervisors in Suffolk County, including Assemblyman Chad Lupinacci in Huntington.
A large majority of voters chose to back Democrat Tim Sini as Suffolk’s next district attorney. In Suffok’s sheriff’s race, Republican Larry Zacarese trailed Democrat Errol Toulon by 1,354 votes.
Democrats gained one county legislative seat in Nassau, but lost one in Suffolk.
Mohawk Valley
Democrat Sara Niccoli, who ran a high profile campaign for state Senate last year, was ousted as Palatine’s supervisor.
New York City
Mayor Bill de Blasio easily won a second term, but by a smaller margin than he won his first.
Kalman Yeger defeated Yoni Hikind in a competitive Borough Park race for City Council.
North Country
Republican Andrea Stewart was elected supervisor of Malone.
Southern Tier
Democrat William Boland is Corning’s new mayor.
And Binghamton Mayor Richard David, a Republican, was reelected by 18 points.
Western New York
Republican Erie County Sheriff Timothy Howard has a “razor-thin lead of 3,850 votes” before paper ballots are counted. Democratic Assemblyman Mickey Kearns won the clerk’s race by a small margin while running as a Republican, and Republican Stefan Mychajliw easily won a new term as the county’s comptroller.
But despite their losses in countywide offices, Democrats regained control of Erie’s legislature.
And Democrats flipped the post of Amherst town supervisor, which was won by Brian Kulpa.
Democrat Byron Brown is now the second person two win four terms as Buffalo’s mayor.
