GOP on the verge of taking over Long Island offices with Ed Romaine favored in Suffolk County

 Republicans are on the verge of painting Long Island red.

The GOP is set to take control of all major offices on Long Island — with their candidate Ed Romaine favored to win the coveted Suffolk County executive seat in Tuesday’s election.

Romaine, the Brookhaven Town Supervisor since 2012,  faces off against Democrat businessman David Calone, a former federal prosecutor and businessman.

The winner will replace current Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, a three-term Democrat who can’t run again because of term limits.

If Romaine wins, Republicans will have a clean sweep and dominate Long Island’s major offices — occupying both the county executive seats of Nassau and Suffolk, both district attorney’s offices, both comptroller’s offices and all four congressional seats.

Backlash over the Democrats’ cashless bail reform law helped propel GOP victories for Nassau County Executive and the two district attorneys in Nassau and Suffolk in 2021. 

“I’m very bullish on Ed Romaine’s chances. Ed Romaine seems to be in very good shape as long as he works hard to the finish line,” said former Long Island Rep. Lee Zeldin, the 2022 GOP nominee for governor who has stumped with Romaine.

While Gov. Kathy Hochul narrowly defeated Zeldin last year in a surprisingly close statewide race, Zeldin clobbered the Democrat on his home turf of Suffolk.

“Long Island will become the reddest it’s been in decades,” Zeldin said.

Former GOP Sen. Al D’Amato said, ” Ed Romaine will win.”

“Ed is respected across the board,” D’Amato added. “He’s a professional.”

Even Newsday, whose editorial board leans liberal, endorsed Romaine, making it much more difficult for Calone to gain traction, D’Amato noted.

Independent observers also give Romaine the edge, and said angst over the migrant crisis has Democrats playing defense.

https://nypost.com/2023/11/05/metro/gop-on-the-verge-of-taking-total-control-of-long-island-offices/