Suozzi, Gillen win new terms, with other LI House races tight

WASHINGTON — Long Island’s four congressional races reflected the national picture Tuesday, as two Democratic incumbents sailed to victory while the two Republicans were locked in tight battles.

Voters frustrated with the war in Iran and President Donald Trump dramatically changed the political balance of the federal government, sweeping Democrats into power in the House and threatening the Senate’s Republican majority.

On Long Island, Democratic Reps. Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) and Laura Gillen (D-Rockville Centre) had double-digit leads their races as of 11:30 p.m. Meanwhile, Republican Reps. Nick LaLota (R-Amityville) and Andrew Garbarino (R-Bayport) were locked in tight battles against Democratic foes Chris Gallant of Amity Harbor and Patrick Halpin of Oak Beach.

With several other races nationally still to be decided, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) was already conceding that Democrats had won enough seats to retake control of the 435-member chamber they had lost in 2022.

“It's only happened twice in 90 years that a sitting president has picked up or held seats for his party in that first two-year cycle,” Johnson said. “There's a lot of reasons for it. It's very, very difficult to overcome, and it looks like history will be kept."

Long Island’s two Republicans, LaLota and Garbarino, still were in close contests as of 11:30 p.m. But even if they do win, they will go from members of the House majority, to being part of a new House minority.

Here’s a rundown of the races.

District 1

One of the two nationally unique features of this contest was that neither candidate — LaLota, 48, of Amityville, nor Democratic challenger Gallant, 37, of Amity Harbor — actually resides inside the district's boundaries, which lie entirely in Suffolk County.

This race also grabbed national attention in September when old consensual, explicit photos of Gallant were published and went viral. The openly gay military pilot and firefighter told supporters, "Yeah, that’s me," and stayed in the race.

LaLota has touted his fights for tax cuts and bringing home funding to local communities. Gallant has called for expanded healthcare, and hit LaLota on his support for Trump’s "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" because it contained deep cuts to Medicaid and food assistance — even though it did contain language preserving and raising a state and local tax deduction cap.

District 2

Garbarino, 42, of Bayport, is the only Long Islander who chairs a full House committee, the Committee on Homeland Security. But even if reelected, he could lose his gavel if Democrats seize control of that chamber. The district is mostly in Suffolk County but extends into Nassau.

Garbarino has touted his work securing permanent funding for the World Trade Center Health Program as part of a Homeland Security spending bill. He also used his committee perch to successfully lobby for the restoration of $2 billion in FEMA funds owed to New York hospitals for their COVID-19 response.

His opponent, former Suffolk County Executive Halpin, 73, of Oak Beach, would be one of the oldest persons ever elected to a first term in the House. Halpin's top issue has been "making life more affordable," including reducing the costs of healthcare.

District 3

In a district that spans parts of Nassau, Suffolk and Queens counties, Suozzi, 64, of Glen Cove, underscored his moderate or bipartisan reputation in a rematch from 2024 with former Assemb. Mike LiPetri, 36, of Farmingdale.

LiPetri still hit Suozzi for his voting record on bills that largely split all Republicans and Democrats. He further attacked Suozzi as an out-of-touch career politician and for allegedly advocating for amnesty for as many as 10 million immigrants living in the country illegally.

Suozzi denied he is proposing amnesty, explaining he instead favors creating a permanent legal work authorization for noncitizens who've been living in the country for 10 years. He has hit LiPetri for his close ties to Trump.

District 4

Gillen, 57, of Rockville Centre, was running for her second term after unseating former GOP Rep. Anthony D’Esposito in 2024. She emphasized her ratings by outside analysts and groups as having among the most centrist voting records in the House.

Gillen's Republican challenger, Jeanine Driscoll, 59, of Bellerose Village, like LiPetri, was endorsed by Trump. The sitting Hempstead Town receiver of taxes said she would fight to lower taxes, also hitting Gillen's voting on bills that split all House Republicans and Democrats, including on immigration enforcement.