Key Long Island races help Dems expand supermajorities in State Legislature

ALBANY — New York Democrats, riding a national "blue wave" are expected to regain and expand supermajorities in the State Senate and Assembly after picking up at least a dozen seats — including at least five seats on Long Island, according to unofficial election results early Wednesday morning.

Long Island’s 31-member state legislative delegation is expected to stay mostly Republican, though both parties fought over a few select seats in Nassau and Suffolk counties, as Democrats aimed to bolster their legislative majority.

All 213 seats in the State Legislature were on the ballot Tuesday with nine Senate seats and 22 Assembly seats on the Island.

Democrats appeared to gain ground on Long Island as results came in Tuesday night into early Wednesday morning, gaining at least one highly contested State Senate seat and three Assembly races, while maintaining their current seats.

Democrat E. Christopher Murray, 63 of Setauket, an attorney, defeated incumbent Republican Sen. Anthony H. Palumbo, 56, of New Suffolk , in a race not originally thought to be highly contested for Senate District 1, which includes parts of Suffolk County from Riverhead to Montauk.

Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D-Yonkers) declared shortly before midnight on Tuesday that Democrats had regained their supermajority in the chamber.

"This achievement reflects the strength of our diverse coalition, representing communities from our largest cities to our smallest towns, and our shared commitment to moving New York forward,” she said in a statement. “We will continue fighting to make New York more affordable, protect our freedoms, and deliver meaningful results for our constituents.”

Democrats needed to flip one seat in the Senate, where they had a majority with 41 of the 63 seats to regain a “veto proof” two-thirds supermajority across both chambers, meaning they have the ability to override the governor. Democratic officials told Newsday they expect to pick up at least an additional six seats statewide.

Democrats in the Assembly were expected to pick up at least six seats, improving their supermajority to 109-41, Democratic officials told Newsday.

One of the most watched legislative races is Senate District 7, which has flipped more than once and incumbent Sen. Jack Martins (R-Old Westbury) didn’t seek reelection.

Assemb. Jake Blumencranz (R-Oyster Bay), 30, defeated Great Neck Democrat Rory Lancman, 57, a board member of Nassau University Medical Center and former Queens assemblyman, for the seat, which covers northwestern Nassau County and includes parts of North Hempstead, Hempstead and Oyster Bay, according to unofficial election results. 

In Senate District 9, which covers the southeast corner of Nassau County, Democrat Lisa Vider, 48, a healthcare executive from Hewlett Bay Park, defeated incumbent Sen. Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick (R-Rockville Centre), 61. The seat has typically been held by a Republican except for the six-years it was held by Todd Kaminsky, who left office in 2022.

Other heated statehouse races on the Island included:

• In Assembly District 3, covering a sliver of the South Shore in Suffolk County from north of Yaphank to Mastic Beach to west of Bellport to Medford, Joshua Slaughter, 43, a labor leader from Shirley, unseated Assemb. Joe DeStefano (R-Medford), 66, according to unofficial election results. 
• Incumbent Assemb. Rebecca Kassay (D-Port Jefferson), 37, was reelected in Assembly District 4, defeating Republican Will Sussman, 27, also of Port Jefferson. The district runs diagonally from Coram to Setauket to Long Island Sound.
• In Assembly District 16, Kim Keiserman, 55, a Democrat and former teacher from Port Washington, won against Republican David Hassid, 23. Hassid worked as an aide to Assemb. Daniel Norber, who currently holds the seat and is not seeking reelection. The district covers the far northwest corner of Nassau County. 
• Lastly, Judy Griffin (D-Rockville Centre), 63, won reelection in Assembly District 21, defeating Republican Irene Villacci, 62, of Lynbrook, an attorney and director of the county’s Office of Community Development. The district covers southwest parts of Nassau County including Baldwin, Lynbrook, Malverne and south Hempstead.