South Shore Press Video Vault: Suffolk GOP's Election Night Shocker

It was a night of political whiplash for Suffolk County Republicans. Some incumbents survived, others suffered stunning defeats, and voters split their ballots in ways that left party leaders scratching their heads. South Shore Press Managing Editor Stefan Mychajliw spoke with Senior Reporter Robert Chartuk, who covered election night from Suffolk GOP headquarters, about the results, the mood inside the room and what the election means for Republicans moving forward.

Mychajliw: You were at Suffolk Republican headquarters. What was the mood as results started coming in?

Chartuk: "It was pretty gloomy in the beginning because they thought there were going to be a lot of losses. Congressman Garbarino and LaLota were down as the results were coming in and then eventually started to win. But some of the Republicans lost. Assemblyman Joe DeStefano, four-term legislator, he lost. Senator Palumbo up in the North Fork, he lost."

Mychajliw: Wasn't Suffolk County really a mixed bag of Republican wins and losses?

Chartuk: "You did have the two losses, like I mentioned. And then, of course, Blakeman, Bruce Blakeman, the Nassau County executive, I don't even believe he carried Nassau or Suffolk. Kathy Hochul won big and she brought in the rest of her slate."

Mychajliw: Republicans appear to have won the county comptroller race, but wasn't that closer than expected?

Chartuk: "It shouldn't have been that close." Chartuk described unusual political maneuvering before the election and noted that Republican Daniel Losquadro, Brookhaven's highway superintendent, faced a surprisingly competitive challenge from Democratic newcomer Jonathan Esterich.

Mychajliw: What about the Republican victories at the state legislative level?

Chartuk: "Jodi Giglio won, Mike Fitzpatrick won. So a lot of the incumbents won, except for the two, Palumbo as the senator and Joe DeStefano. Which was really a hard pill to swallow and has people scratching their heads here this morning."

Mychajliw: How do you explain voters electing Republicans for some offices while rejecting others in the same districts?

Chartuk: "Very oddly, they split the ticket. So it just goes to show you have a very educated electorate who went down the line, maybe voted for LaLota, but didn't vote for DeStefano."

Chartuk also pointed to politically active Democrats on the East End, particularly around Southold, as a possible factor in Palumbo's defeat.

Mychajliw: Bottom line, wasn't this a very bad night for Suffolk Republicans?

Chartuk: "Absolutely." He noted that Republicans held their two Suffolk congressional seats while Democrats retained neighboring Nassau districts.

Chartuk warned that Democratic control of Congress could trigger investigations and impeachment efforts targeting Trump administration officials.

"Hold on to your hat. It's going to be a wild ride for the next two, four, and six years."