Two New York State Assembly members in Nassau County were ousted Tuesday and a third in Suffolk County appears likely to be unseated amid turnover in a half dozen Long Island seats.
Former state Assemb. Judy Griffin (D-Rockville Centre) unseated state Assemb. Brian Curran (R-Lynbrook) for a second time following a rematch of a rematch. Republican challenger Daniel Norber unseated state Assemb. Gina Sillitti (D-Manorhaven). And Democratic challenger Rebecca Kassay is leading state Assemb. Ed Flood (R-Smithtown) in the unofficial initial vote tally — plus three Democrats won seats being vacated by local Democratic incumbents who declined to seek re-election.
Suffolk County Democratic Chairman Richard Shaffer said the committee is happy to have new “moderate common-sense Democrats going to Albany to counteract the extremists who push their illogical policies in the entire state.”
The six seats with turnover comprise more than a quarter of Long Island’s 22 state Assembly districts. The three local upsets were reportedly among five statewide that appear to have increased by one the current 102-seat Democratic majority in the 150-seat chamber.
The Griffin-Curran rematch was the most dramatic Assembly race on LI this cycle. Curran was a four-term incumbent when Griffin first unseated him in 2018. Griffin served two terms until Curran beat her in a rematch. Griffin then won in a second rematch last week.
“She won back her seat simply because she was a better legislator, more focused on working for her district, than Brian Curran proved to be,” Jay Jacobs, who chairs the Nassau County and state Democratic committees, told the Press.
“I am deeply honored by the confidence placed in me by the voters of the 21st Assembly District,” Griffin, who district spans southwestern Nassau, said in a statement. “This victory reflects our shared vision for a more prosperous, safer, and affordable Long Island … As I return to Albany, I pledge to represent all constituents, embrace our diversity and work tirelessly to address the pressing issues that matter most to our district.”
Curran conceded his second loss to Griffin.
“We came up a little short,” he said in a statement. “While the outcome of this election wasn’t what we hoped for, my commitment to our neighbors remains steadfast … I look forward to finding new ways to make a positive impact.”
SUFFOLK INCUMBENT OUSTED?
Curran wasn’t the only sitting Republican to lose a seat locally amid a presidential election year in which a red wave ushered in GOP wins nationwide.
Flood, a recently disbarred lawyer and freshman assemblyman who unseated longtime Assemb. Steve Englebright (D-Setauker) two years ago, is trailing Democratic challenger Rebecca Kassay, a former Port Jefferson village trustee. Kassay is up 211 votes, according to unofficial early returns released by the Suffolk County Board of Elections.
“In a race this close, results will not be determined until the affidavit ballots and final mail-in ballots are counted,” Kassay posted on her campaign Facebook page. “This might take until late November.”
Shaffer, the county Democratic chairman, said he expects Kassay’s lead to stay.
Flood’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. He represents the 4th Assembly District on the North Shore of central Suffolk.
LI’S LONE DEMOCRATIC UPSET
Sillitti is reportedly one of two Democratic Assemblywomen unseated statewide — the other in Buffalo.
Norber, the GOP challenger, declared victory on election night, and the two-term incumbent conceded following reports that she was down about 1,000 votes, according to unofficial early returns released by the Nassau County Board of Elections.
“Ladies and gentlemen, the people have spoken in Nassau County tonight,” Norber told cheering supporters during the Nassau Republican Committee’s election night party at the Coral House in Baldwin. “We are going to win.”
Sillitti, who represents the 16th Assembly District in northwestern Nassau, conceded on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“Unfortunately, after a hard-fought race it looks like I’m down by too many votes to make up in absentees,” she tweeted. “Serving this community has been the honor of a lifetime.”
VACANT SEATS STAY BLUE
There were three local races in which Democratic newcomers won seats being vacated by Democratic incumbents — one in Nassau and two in Suffolk.
Democratic Southampton Town Councilman Tommy Schiavoni, a retired schoolteacher, defeated Republican Shelter Island Town Attorney Stephen Kiely in the race to replace outgoing Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele Jr. (D-Sag Harbor), who has represented the 1st Assembly District on the East End for 30 years.
In southwestern Suffolk’s 11th Assembly District race to replace outgoing Assemb. Kimberly Jean-Pierre (D-Wheatley Heights), Democrat Kwani O’Pharrow leads Republican Joseph Cardinale by about 450 votes in early results. Shaffer expects the lead to hold in the race between two former members of the NYPD. Cardinale stopped short of conceding on his campaign Facebook page.
And in south-central Nassau’s 18th Assembly District race to replace outgoing state Assemb. Taylor Darling (D-Hempstead), Democratic Hempstead Village Trustee Noah Burroughs trounced Republican school teacher Danielle Samantha Smikle by the widest margin of any Assembly race on the Island this year.
ISLANDWIDE ASSEMBLY DISTRICT BREAKDOWN
1st State Assembly District
South Fork, Shelter Island, Town of Southold
Democratic Southampton Town Councilman Tommy Schiavoni earned 55% of the vote to beat Republican Shelter Island Town Attorney Stephen Kiely, who got 44%, according to the early returns.
2nd State Assembly District
Town of Riverhead, northeastern Town of Brookhaven
State Assemb. Jodi Giglio (R-Riverhead) won a third term with nearly 65% of the vote over Democratic challenger Tricia Chiaramonte, a Suffolk County Regional Off-Track Betting Corporation staffer from Manorville, who got 35%, returns show.
3rd State Assembly District
Southeastern Town of Brookhaven from Smith Point to Patchogue and north to Ridge
State Assemb. Joseph De Stefano (R-Medford) won a third term with 60% of the vote over Democratic challenger Trina Miles, a Suffolk County Board of Elections worker from Mastic who got 39%, returns show.
4th State Assembly District
Northwest Town of Brookhave from Old Field to Middle Island
Former Port Jefferson Village Trustee Rebecca Kassay leads with 50.15% of the vote over freshman state Assemb. Ed Flood (R-Port Jefferson), who got 49.79%, in one of the closest races in the state, with the final results likely to take several weeks to decide.
5th State Assembly District
Western Town of Brookhaven and Northeastern Town of Islip
State Assemb. Doug Smith (R-Holbrook) won a fourth term with 64% of the vote over Democratic challenger Michael Reynolds, a former regional manager of logistics for Verizon from Lake Ronkonkoma who got 35%, returns show.
6th State Assembly District
Northwestern Town of Islip from Bay Shore to Central Islip
State Assemb. Phil Ramos (D-Brentwood), the deputy speaker of the Assembly, won a 12th term with 65% of the vote over Republican challenger Daniel Mitola, an attorney and veteran from Hauppauge who got 34%, returns show.
7th State Assembly District
South Central Suffolk from Bellport to Bay Shore
State Assemb. Jarett Gandolfo (R-Sayville) won a third term with 63% of the vote to beat Democratic challenger Garrett Petersen, a clinician at the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities from East Islip who got 36%, returns show.
8th State Assembly District
Town of Smithtown
State Assemb. Michael Fitzpatrick (R-Smithtown) won his 12th term with 66% of the vote over The Democratic challenger Steven P Basileo, a former labor organizer and Suffolk County legislative aide from Saint James who got 33%, returns show.
9th State Assembly District
Southwestern Suffolk from West Islip to West Babylon, Gilgo Beach and Massapequa
State Assemb. Michael Durso (R-Massapequa Park) won a third term with 64% of the vote to beat Democratic challenger Steven DellaVecchia, a North Babylon Volunteer Fire Department member who won 35% in a rematch, returns show.
10th State Assembly District
Southwestern Town of Huntington
State Assemb. Steve Stern (D-Huntington) won his fourth full term since winning a 2018 special election with 55% of the vote over Republican challenger Aamir Sultan, a computer scientist and AI management consultant from Dix Hills who won 44%, returns show.
11th State Assembly District
Southwestern Suffolk from East Farmingdale to Amitville
Democratic candidate Kwani O’Pharrow is leading with 447 votes over Republican candidate Joseph Cardinale in a race in which two former members of the NYPD ran to replace outgoing Assemb. Kimberly Jean-Pierre (D-Wheatley Heights). Results will be confirmed once paper ballots are counted in the coming weeks.
12th State Assembly District
Northern Town of Huntington, plus Edgewood and Deer Park
State Assemb. Keith Brown (R-Northport) won a third term with 57% of the vote over Democratic challenger Thomas Cox, who got 42% of the vote without actively campaigning.
13th Assembly District
Northeastern Nassau from Oyster Bay to Roslyn, plus Hicksville
State Assemb. Charles Lavine (D-Glen Cove), who chairs the judiciary committee, won an 11th term with 54% of the vote over Republican challenger Rujka Anzai, an information technology industry professional from Jericho who got 44%, returns show.
14th Assembly District
Southeastern Nassau from Massapequa to Merrick, plus part of Oceanside
State Assemb. David McDonough (R-Merrick) won a 12th term with 64% of the vote over Democratic challenger Ellen Lederer DeFrancesco, a former New York City school teacher, environmental advocate and editor of a lifestyle website from Oceanside who got 35%, returns show.
15th Assembly District
Central Town of Oyster Bay from Locust Valley to Farmingdale
Freshman State Assemb. Jake Blumencranz (R-Oyster Bay) won a second term with 58% of the vote over Democratic challenger William Murphy, a professor at St. John’s University in its Division of Legal Studies from Farmingdale who got 41%, returns show.
16th Assembly District
Northwestern Nassau from Great Neck to Roslyn and New Hyde Park
Republican challenger Daniel Norber, an Israeli Defense Forces veteran from Great Neck who cofounded Imperial Moving, unseated two-term state Assemb. Gina Sillitti (D-Port Washington), who chaired the subcommittee on occupational licenses, by a margin of 50% to 49%, returns show.
17th Assembly District
Southeastern Nassau from East Meadow to Massapequa
State Assemb. John Mikulkin (R-Bethpage) won a fourth term with 65% of the vote over Democratic challenger Harpreet Toor, a tax consultant who previously ran for New York City Council and got 34%, returns show.
18th State Assembly District
South-Central Nassau from Hempstead to Freeport
Democratic Hempstead Village Trustee Noah Burroughs won 82% of the vote over Republican Danielle Samantha Smikle, a Uniondale charter schoolteacher from Freeport, who got 17% in the race to replace outgoing state Assemb. Taylor Darling (D-Hempstead).
19th Assembly District
Central western Nassau from New Hyde Park to Westbury
State Assemb. Edward Ra (R-Franklin Square) won an eighth term with 65% of the vote over Democratic challenger Sanjeev Kumar Jindal, an insurance broker from Williston Park who got 35% in a rematch, returns show.
20th Assembly District
Southwestern Nassau, including the Five Towns area, Oceanside and Long Beach
Freshman State Assemb. Ari Brown (R-Cedarhurst) got 62% of the vote to win his first full term since winning a special election in 2022. He beat Democratic challenger Trina Posterli, a former Long Beach City Council member and former member of the Long Beach School District Board of Education who got 37%, returns show.
21st State Assembly District
Southwestern Nassau from Valley Stream to Baldwin
Former two-term state Assemb. Judy Griffin (D-Rockville Centre) won 51% of the vote to unseat former four-term state Assemb. Brian Curran (R-Lynbrook), who got 48%, returns show, after winning his seat back two years ago after Griffin had unseated him in 2018.
22nd Assembly District
Western Nassau from Valley Stream to Floral Park
State Assemb. Michaelle Solages (D-Elmont), who chairs the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic & Asian Legislative Caucus, won her sixth term with 61% of the vote over Republican challenger Ian Joseph Bergstrom, a deputy in the Nassau County Attorney’s office from Floral Park who got 37%.
-With additional reporting by Hannah Devlin, Michael Malazczyk, Shoshanna McCollum and Liam Hibbert