A blue wave crashed into New York on Tuesday, Nov. 6, when Democrats took control of the New York State Senate from Republicans for only the third time in 50 years. Strong victories throughout Long Island districts helped push the party toward a historic legislative win.
Many districts throughout Nassau and Suffolk County flipped Democratic on Tuesday. James Gaughran (D-District 5), Kevin Thomas (D-District 6) and Anna Kaplan (D-District 7) defeated Republican incumbents, while Democratic incumbents Todd Kaminsky (District 9) and John Brooks (District 8) kept their seats.
Tuesday’s polls also brought changes to Congress. House incumbent Peter King (R) of District 2 made history on Tuesday night, winning his 14th term in the House of Representatives after the tightest race in his political career, against Democratic challenger Liuba Grechen Shirley.
“I’m proud to be going back to Washington. I’m proud to continue the fight for Long Island, proud to continue the fight for New York,” King said during his victory speech. “Also again to stand with the men and women in blue, the men and women in the armed forces and to also never ever give up against MS-13 or ISIS until they are crushed and destroyed.”
Lee Zeldin (R), incumbent of District 1, beat Perry Gershon (D) by six percent, winning another term as congressman. “This race offered a clear contrast of results or resistance,” Zeldin said. “And we were campaigning on results and that is what won at the end of the day.”
Democratic veterans Kathleen Rice of District 4 and Tom Suozzi of District 3 both won re-election to their seats in the House.
“This is the election of my lifetime and I know it is for all of you,” Rice said after declaring victory early Tuesday evening in Garden City. Suozzi, along with Rice, accepted his second re-election with gratitude.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you. I am so honored to serve as a member of the United States Congress,” Suozzi said. “And I’m feeling pretty good that we’re going to be in the majority come Jan. 1.”
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D) became the youngest woman ever elected to Congress at age 29. She won the 4th district race against Anthony Pappas (R) with a sweeping 66 percent victory.
Following her triumphant win, Ocasio-Cortez addressed that while the elections were a milestone, they just marked the beginning.
“These struggles that we are taking on are generational. These struggles that we are taking on are long,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “These struggles will not be solved in two years or four years; it will take our whole lives, but this is the fight for our lives, this is the fight of our lives.”
Ocasio-Cortez was not the only woman breaking barriers Tuesday night. Letitia James won a landmark race for New York State attorney general, becoming the first woman elected into this office, the first African-American woman elected to any statewide office and the first black person to serve as attorney general.
Kirsten Gillibrand, a Democratic incumbent, won re-election in the U.S. Senate for New York against Republican challenger Chele Farley. Gillibrand has served as the junior senator of New York since 2009. In wake of the #MeToo movement, Gillibrand has focused heavily on a message of combatting sexual assault, particularly in the military and on college campuses.
In the gubernatorial race, Andrew Cuomo cruised toward re-election, winning his third term as governor of New York over Republican opponent, Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro. Cuomo ran on a platform that opposed President Donald Trump, tightened gun regulations, emphasized stricter environmental policies and provided stronger protection for immigrants.
For New York, this means that races all across the state shattered obstacles and Republican opposition, giving Democrats a stronger hand in pushing key issues that had previously been blocked by the GOP majority.
The information in this article is attributed to the Associated Press, News 12 Long Island, Newsday and The New York Times.
