Although the “blue tsunami” that swept the United States in the Nov. 3 midterm elections has dominated headlines, the pervasive repudiation of Republicans even in left-leaning New York State is striking.
The author and political commentator John Avlon, who was the 2024 Democratic nominee in New York’s First Congressional District and is now chairman of the Southampton Town Democratic Committee, noted this week that in her re-election victory, Gov. Kathy Hochul narrowly won Suffolk County after losing it by more than 16 percentage points in 2022. “Nobody thought that was in the cards,” said Mr. Avlon, who lives in Sag Harbor. “And statewide, she won by 20! Extraordinary.”
Ms. Hochul’s Republican challenger, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, did not even carry his home county, Mr. Avlon added. “For the first time in a long time, the polls underestimated, rather than overestimated, Democratic strength,” he said, calling the elections “a complete and total repudiation of Donald Trump and his extremist agenda, where people were pissed off about rising costs and corruption. They understood how those two things intersected, and they’re just sick and tired of all the chaos. We’ve got a new day.”
One manifestation of the energy on the Democratic side was the early voting turnout. In Suffolk, 178,619 residents voted early this year, compared with 98,224 in 2022, according to the Suffolk County Board of Elections. Early voting was also up slightly in East Hampton Town, with 9,761 voting early this year against 9,437 in 2022.
The State Legislature will see an even more lopsided Democratic majority when it reconvenes for its 249th legislative session on Jan. 6. As of Tuesday night, Democrats had won 47 of 63 seats in the State Senate, an increase of six that represents their largest majority in more than a century. In the Assembly, at least 111 of 150 seats will be occupied by Democrats, an increase of eight, giving Democrats their largest-ever majority.
In the First Senatorial District, the Democratic candidate, Chris Murray, ousted the Republican incumbent, Anthony Palumbo, winning by more than 4,000 votes, according to the County Board of Elections’ unofficial tally, and claiming the seat for Democrats for the first time since 1914. “Palumbo was broadly popular,” Mr. Avlon said. “He hadn’t been associated with the Trumpiest excesses. Murray wiped him out. That’s a measure of the wave, certainly in the Peconic region.”
Assemblyman Tommy John Schiavoni of the First Assembly District was re-elected to a second term, defeating his Republican challenger, Stephen Kiely. Like his former colleague on the Southampton Town Board, Supervisor Maria Moore, Mr. Schiavoni was re-elected with more than 60 percent of the vote.
“Even UpIsland, Democrats flipped two [Assembly] seats,” Mr. Avlon said, with Josh Slaughter winning in the Third Assembly District and Craig Herskowitz in the 12th.
Given the new composition of the State Legislature and Democrats holding an even greater majority in both chambers, Mr. Schiavoni and Mr. Murray predicted passage of their priorities. “We have new members from all over the state, New York City, but also new moderate members,” Mr. Schiavoni told The Star. “It’s going to be an interesting dynamic. . . . I’m encouraged to have Senator-elect Murray in Albany, and as he will be in the majority we will be able to get some of the things done that will help us out here on the East End.”
Among his priorities, Mr. Schiavoni said, is help for commercial fishermen. Under current state law, they must pay the full price of fuel up front and then file a claim with the State Department of Taxation and Finance to receive a refund or rebate on sales and use taxes. A change in that rule is “one of the things I’ve been trying to get to the floor,” he said, something that “seems very plausible now.”
Mr. Murray told The Star that he wants to see elimination of 1 percent of the sales tax and its replacement with a 1-percent income tax increase on the top 8 percent of earners. “I want to propose savings accounts for first-time homebuyers where interest can be tax-free if they use it for a down payment,” he said. “Environmental issues are obviously very important to the East End, to the country, and that will be a priority. I also want to look at how the state funds and treats people with disabilities. I have an autistic son, so it’s very important.”
Both the assemblyman and senator-elect said that they would like to see the greenhouse gas-reduction goals in the 2018 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act put back on track, after the governor signed legislation as part of the 2026 budget package that modifies and delays them.
“I opposed the delays that were implemented last year in the Climate Act,” Mr. Murray said. “I definitely would like to see it back on track. I think the state also has to work together with states that are like-minded.” As an example, he cited the carbon market linkage agreement signed by California, Washington State, and the Canadian province of Quebec to allow cross-jurisdiction trading, shared allowance prices, and joint auctions.
“When we set the C.L.C.P.A. and it was introduced and brought to the floor by [former Assemblyman] Steve Englebright, in his public remarks he did say that the goals were aspirational,” Mr. Schiavoni said. “But then they got into law. So we moved them, we can certainly move them back. I believe climate is one of the major challenges of our time, and we have to rise to the occasion.”
They are also in agreement in support of the New York Health Act, which would create a universal single-payer health plan providing comprehensive health coverage for all New Yorkers with no copays, deductibles, or out-of-network costs. It was first sponsored in 1991.
“We’re going to see some energy there,” Mr. Schiavoni predicted. “I believe this country has to have a real conversation around health care. We were doing that in ‘08, ‘09, under [President] Obama, and as contentious as it was, I believe that may very well have been the last time this country was having a real conversation with one another on issues.”
“I support the New York Health Act,” Mr. Murray said. “As to whether it’s politically viable, I’m not sure at this point. I’ll get a better feel in the next months.” Proponents, he said, “have got to emphasize savings to school districts, municipalities, and the ability to help stem the rise in property taxes.”
“I’m proud of the East End of Long Island coming out as strong as we did in this election,” Mr. Schiavoni said. “I really appreciate everybody who did come out and vote, and encourage everybody who did not to vote in all elections.”
