Suffolk GOP approves slate of candidates, including potential replacement for Alexis Weik

Suffolk County Republicans formally nominated their slate for this year's elections, including Daniel Losquadro for county comptroller and state Assemb. Jarett Gandolfo for the 8th Senate District seat that's expected to be vacated by state Sen. Alexis Weik. 

GOP committee members crammed inside their headquarters in Medford Friday night to finalize the party’s nominees for Congress, state Senate and Assembly, county clerk as well as several judgeships.

Losquadro, the current Brookhaven Town highway superintendent, emerged from a crowded field of candidates who screened to replace the term-limited John Kennedy.

Suffolk GOP Chairman Jesse Garcia said the number of Republicans who expressed interest in the position "demonstrates we have a very, very deep bench."

Losquadro, of Shoreham, was reelected to a fifth term as highway superintendent in 2023 after winning a special election in 2013. He previously served in the state Assembly from 2011 to 2013 and as a Suffolk County legislator from 2003 to 2010.

Gandolfo was nominated for the seat currently held by Weik, who announced in late December she would not seek reelection, citing "careful consideration of my health and my family," in a statement at the time.

Weik is serving the remainder of her third term through the end of the year.

Gandolfo, of Sayville, called it a "tough decision" to leave his current role but after deliberating with friends and mentors he decided "it would be a good move."

"I think I have a good record of success to build on so far and now I’ll be able to do it on a bigger scale in the Senate," Gandolfo told Newsday. "But the issues are going to remain the same."

The district covers a portion of the South Shore from Bayport in the east to Massapequa in Nassau County.

Suffolk Democrats have yet to finalize their slate of candidates. 

Gandolfo's run for Senate created an opening for his seat in the 7th Assembly District and the GOP nominated DawnMarie Kuhn, who was just elected in November as a Town of Islip councilperson. She previously worked as chief of staff for Legis. Anthony Piccirillo, who became presiding officer in January.

For the 4th Senate District, the GOP nominated Brianne Wakefield of Bay Shore for the seat currently held by Democrat Monica Martinez. Incumbents State Sens. Anthony Palumbo, 1st District, and Mario Mattera, 2nd District, received the nominations in their districts.

Garcia said the party’s candidates were people "grounded from the community."

"I think what we have here personifies the Republican agenda here in Suffolk of making our communities safer and more affordable," he told Newsday.

The Republicans will try to flip seats in the state Assembly with Stephen Kiely in the 1st District, Will Sussman in the 4th District and Joseph Cardinale for the 11th District.

The GOP also nominated Village of Northport trustee Dave Weber to run in the 12th District, a seat currently held by Republican Keith Brown, who announced earlier in the day he would not seek reelection.

Garcia said he requested Brown delay his announcement to allow the party to go through its process to find a replacement.

"Northport is a very difficult part of Huntington for Republicans to garner votes in," Garcia said. "He's overwhelmingly won two contested races there."

Brown did not disclose a reason for his decision Friday.

The incumbents running again in the Assembly are Jodi Giglio in the 1st District, Joe DeStefano in the 3rd District, Doug Smith in the 5th District, Michael Fitzpatrick in the 8th District and Michael Durso in the 9th District.

Rep. Nick LaLota and Rep. Andrew Garbarino were both formally nominated to run again in their districts. The GOP also nominated Mike LiPetri, a former state assemblyman, for the 3rd District to challenge Democrat Tom Suozzi. The 3rd District primarily covers Nassau County and a small portion of Suffolk.

County Clerk Vincent Puleo was also nominated for another term.