Red wave recedes: Dems win Governor and Senate race, Lawler pulls off Republican upset in House of Reps

After a contentious election season that saw many Democrat incumbents challenged at the state and federal level by an energized Republican base, a partial “red wave” of conservative voters ousted some established  liberals in the Empire State and Rockland, while Democrats maintained several key offices.  

Representative Sean Patrick Maloney (D) conceded defeat on Wednesday shortly before the Associated Press announced that Republican Mike Lawler had won their race for New York’s 18th Congressional District. 

In an emotional statement issued from D.C.C.C. headquarters in Washington, Maloney said: “I don’t like to lose, but my opponent won this race. He won it fair and square. That means something. The right thing to do is say the other guy won and wish him well.”

Throughout New York State, Lawler won 140,883 votes as of 5 pm on Wednesday, according to the AP, accounting for a slim 50.6 majority. In Rockland County, Lawler maintained an even stronger lead, accruing 58,288 between his Republican and Conservative party lines for 55 percent of the total votes cast in the race. 

Meanwhile, Democratic Gubernatorial candidate Kathy Hochul bested Republican challenger Lee Zeldin, becoming New York State’s first elected female governor with 3,010,593 votes – 52.8 percent of total votes cast throughout the state. In Rockland County, however, Congressman Zeldin maintained a strong lead in votes,  earning just over 56 percent of 107,068 total votes, according to Rockland County Board of Elections data. 

The win was a relief for Democrats, who had ramped up campaigning after a series of polls showed Hochul and Zeldin neck-in-neck in the weeks preceding Tuesday’s election.

Democrats Letitia James and Thomas DiNapoli won reelection to attorney general and state comptroller, respectively, decisively defeating their Republican opponents Michael Henry and Paul Rodriguez. 

Although Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer beat out Republican challenger Joe Pinion with 56.3 percent of votes statewide, the incumbent had a much slimmer lead of just 50.13 percent of votes cast in Rockland County, according to Board of Elections data. 

Bill Weber (R) defeated Elijah Reichlin-Melnick (D) in the race for state senator for New York’s 38th district ousting the incumbent from the working families party. 

In New York’s 40th Senate District, Democrat Pete Harckham defeated challenger Khris Kerr with 42,495 votes, according to unofficial results.

Ken Zebrowski (D) defeated opponent Brett Yagel in the race for New York State’s 96th district Assembly Seat, while Conservative John McGowan bested Eudson Tyson Francois according to unofficial results. Karl Brabenec, a Republic, defeated Bruce Levine in the race for New York’s 98th Assembly District.

About 60 percent of voters throughout the state voted “yes” on ballot proposition 1, approving new funding forthe Environmental Bond Act. The act will allow the state to borrow $4.2 billion to pay for a number of projects aimed at protecting the state’s landscape from impending extreme weather caused by climate change. In Rockland County, about 58 percent of voters agreed with the measure.

In Stony Point, about 70 percent of voters defeated a ballot proposition that proposed development for the former site of Letchworth Village. The proposal would have allowed the Stony Point town board to continue negotiating with a Westchester developer who proposed a multi-generational development that included both millennial and senior housing.

In the race for an open seat on Stony Point’s town board, incumbent Mike Puccio (R) bested opponent Eleanor Kassler (D) with over 65 percent of 5,823 votes cast, according to unofficial board of elections data.

In the rather-crowded race for two trustee positions in the Village of Suffern, Democrats Steven P. Alpert and Fred Sauberman bested their four opponents, raking in 29.05 percent and 26.14 percent of votes respectively.

In the village of Sloatsburg, Republicans Marc A. Bitterman and John M. Bonkoski bested Democrat Joyce Donohue in the race for two open village trustee seats.