The blue wave continued to surge across the suburbs.
Hempstead, a longtime Republican bastion on Long Island, stunned political observers by turning Democratic in Tuesday’s midterm elections. North of New York City, Westchester and Rockland counties also appeared poised for a similar shift.
In Nassau County — the most populous county in the United States — voters rejected Republican rising star John Ferretti in the town supervisor’s race, instead electing Democrat Joe Scianablo by roughly three percentage points.
Scianablo’s victory broke more than a century of Republican control and made him only the second Democrat to lead Hempstead in approximately 120 years.
Democrats were also positioned to capture Hempstead’s town clerk post. Joylette Williams held a lead of several hundred votes over Republican incumbent Kate Murray on Wednesday, roughly 24 hours after polls closed.
The results reflected the broader national midterm picture, in which Republicans suffered major setbacks as Democrats captured control of both chambers of Congress and flipped five governor’s offices.
The Democratic gains extended beyond Hempstead. Voters across Long Island backed Gov. Kathy Hochul over Republican Bruce Blakeman, and even voters in Nassau County Executive Blakeman’s home base favored the incumbent Democratic governor.
In the 17th Congressional District just north of New York City, voters also turned toward Democrats, defeating Republican incumbent Mike Lawler and choosing liberal candidate Cait Conley.
Westchester County, a traditionally Democratic stronghold, was likewise trending toward Democrats in several local contests, although some races remained too close to call Thursday as officials continued counting ballots following widespread voting-machine problems on Election Day.
The county’s 17-member Board of Legislators appeared likely to become entirely Democratic for the first time. At the time, just one registered Republican and one Conservative Party member remained in seats, with final tallies still pending.
In neighboring Mount Pleasant, former Assemblyman Tom Abinanti appeared on course to become the first Democrat ever elected town supervisor — a notable breakthrough in a community that had long leaned Republican despite Westchester’s increasingly Democratic direction.
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Rockland County voters also ousted Republican state Sen. Bill Weber, who had received an Election Day endorsement from President Trump, and replaced him with Democrat Joseph Rand.
Clarkstown Supervisor George Hoehmann was defeated as well, ending more than a decade in office.
Political analysts largely attributed the Republican losses to President Trump, saying the national political climate under his leadership had become so charged that voters were rejecting the GOP even in intensely local races.
“Unfortunately for Republicans, local issues were overshadowed by national issues and an affordability message that Democrats successfully delivered to voters,” said O’Brien O.B. Murray, a campaign strategist who has worked with both Republicans and Democrats.
“Democrats across New York and the country turned out as though President Trump himself were on the ballot,” Murray told The Post. “Republican, independent and Democratic voters either stayed home or used their ballots to express their dissatisfaction.”
Rep. Tom Suozzi, who comfortably defended his Long Island seat in the Third Congressional District against a Republican challenger, made a similar observation. He said voters supported Democrats “not necessarily because they love the Democratic brand, but because they are fed up with what’s going on in the country and want change.”
“They want us to focus on the issues that concern them — affordability, immigration, taxes, crime and health care,” Suozzi added. “Then you add education, artificial intelligence and climate change.”
Still, some political observers warned that Democrats’ current momentum may not last.
“Now Democrats are in charge, and they’re going to have to deliver,” said Steve Levy, a Republican and former Suffolk County executive. “When they don’t, the public’s anger will be directed at them.”
“It’s only a matter of time before that anger lands at the Democrats’ doorstep again.”