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Republicans scored several wins in competitive House races in one of the country’s bluest states, seizing a seat in a district once seen as a Democratic stronghold while vying to pick up seats in areas that their party hasn’t claimed for years.
By Nov. 9, Republicans have secured 10 Congressional seats from New York, expanding by two their representation in the state’s delegation to Washington from two years ago. They also have a 1.3 percent lead in one of two remaining races that has yet to see a winner.
In a state that has twice as many registered Democrats as Republicans, the GOP has benefited from voter dissatisfaction and a more friendly political map. The Republicans also saw a strong showing on Long Island that helped them sweep all four races in the area.NY-01: Bridget Fleming (D) v. Nick LaLota (R)
Republican Nick LaLota and Democrat Bridget Fleming faced off in a contest to take the Long Island vacancy from four-term Rep. Lee Zeldin, the Republican gubernatorial contestant.
LaLota won by 55.9 percent of the votes, or 173,275 total, against Fleming’s 44. 1 percent.
Fleming conceded her loss in a statement on Wednesday morning, saying she wished LaLota “success in improving the lives of Long Islanders while he serves in Washington.”
“The challenges facing our nation and Long Island communities are daunting. We must not back down from the fight to defend the freedoms that make our great country a rich, resilient, and generous nation,” she said.
Trump in 2020 enjoyed a four-point margin in the district located on the eastern tip of Long Island before the redistricting following the 2020 Census. LaLota is chief of staff to the Suffolk County Legislature and served in the U.S. Navy that saw him attaining the Lieutenant rank.
Fleming, legislator for Suffolk County Legislature’s second district, was a former prosecutor and Southampton Town Councilwoman.NY-03: Robert Zimmerman (D) v. George Santos (R)
Latino candidate George Santos became the winner in a race to represent voters in Nassau County and parts of northeast Queens in the 3rd Congressional District, a seat left open by retiring Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.). He was leading by roughly 22,000 votes, 54.2 percent to 45.8 percent, when the race was called.
“NY03 has spoken!” he said on Twitter at 3:03 a.m. on Wednesday. “I promised one thing throughout this entire campaign: to be your champion in D.C. Thank you for this opportunity to be your voice!”
Santos, a financier and investor, is a first-generation American raised by two immigrants from Brazil. He highlighted inflation, crime, high taxes, energy prices, and pandemic preparedness as his top priorities.
“Anything outside of crime, inflation, and the cost of energy this cycle is a distraction from what’s really hurting Americans,” he told Spectrum News in a recent interview.
