Dems flip 5 Long Island state Senate, Assembly seats, expand supermajorities

ALBANY — A national "blue wave" propelled New York Democrats to their largest legislative majorities in state history — flipping five State Assembly and Senate seats on Long Island.

All 213 seats in the State Senate and Assembly were up for election Tuesday, including nine Senate seats and 22 Assembly seats on the Island.

Democrats regained a supermajority in the Senate, flipping six seats statewide to hold 47 of the 63 posts, with one upstate race for District 43, which includes Rensselaer County and parts of Albany and Washington counties, too close to call as of Wednesday afternoon.

Assembly Democrats, once all votes are counted, are expected to improve their supermajority to 111-39, with the race for District 126 outside Syracuse waiting on absentee ballot counts.

The more than two-thirds, "veto-proof" supermajority across both chambers gives the legislature the ability to override the governor and marks the largest majority in both houses in the state’s history, state democratic leaders and political observers said Wednesday.

"It is historic. It’s hard to imagine the last time that we had a completely non-competitive Assembly and Senate," Hank Sheinkopf, a veteran Democratic strategist, told Newsday.

Sheinkopf said the blue wave, which swept national, state and local races, wasn’t just a midterm referendum on President Donald Trump, but was also about the high cost of living and struggles of everyday people. "It’s all about the promise of America. This is a revolt against the elites and the Democrats should be very careful because what happened here can happen to them. It’s not a one-time occurrence."

Several of the battleground districts — as well as one surprise upset — were in Nassau and Suffolk counties.

Sixteen seats of the Island’s 31-member legislative delegation will be Democratic after flipping three Assembly and two Senate seats, according to a Newsday analysis. Democrats and Republicans have been jockeying in recent years for legislative seats on the Island, with Republicans currently holding the majority.

"This year’s midterms were always going to be an uphill climb," Assembly Minority Leader Ed Ra (R-Garden City) told Newsday in an emailed statement. "Today we reset, dig in, and move forward. The work starts today. Last night's results don't erase the significant issues that need to be addressed."

Flips and upsets

One of the biggest upsets was in Senate District 1, where 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 competitive. The district includes parts of Suffolk County from Riverhead to Montauk.

Democrats also picked up 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 Democrat Todd Kaminsky, who left office in 2022.

In the Assembly, Joshua Slaughter, 43, a labor leader from Shirley, unseated Assemb. Joe DeStefano (R-Medford) in District 3, which covers a sliver of the South Shore in Suffolk County from north of Yaphank to Mastic Beach to west of Bellport to Medford.

Kim Keiserman, 55, a Democrat and former teacher from Port Washington, won in Assembly District 16, which covers the far northwest corner of Nassau County. She defeated Republican David Hassid, 23, a former aide to Assemb. Daniel Norber, who holds the seat and did not seek reelection.

And in the 12th Assembly District, Democrat Craig G. Herskowitz, 45, an immigration attorney from Northport, defeated Republican David D. Weber Jr., 58, a Northport village board member and owner of Seymour’s Boatyard in Northport. The district, which includes Northport and the towns of Huntington, Babylon and Islip, is currently represented by Republican Assemb. Keith P. Brown, who did not seek reelection.

Party divide

Veteran GOP strategist Michael Dawidziak said much of it came down to independent voters, particularly on Long Island, where Republicans used to outnumber Democrats 2-1. Now, it’s one-third Democrat, one-third Republican and one-third independent, he said. "It just means New York is becoming bluer and bluer and bluer ... That’s just a reflection of the changing demographics of the state."