Brookhaven Councilman Dan Panico elected town supervisor to replace Ed Romaine
Dan Panico, Town of Brookhaven supervisor-elect, celebrates at the Suffolk GOP election night headquarters at Stereo Garden in Patchogue on Tuesday. Credit: Newsday / Steve Pfost
New supervisors in six Suffolk County towns are set to take office in 2024, including the county’s largest town — Brookhaven — where Republican Dan Panico swept to victory Tuesday night.
In the East End towns of East Hampton, Southampton and Southold, Democrats defeated Republican candidates, according to unofficial results from Suffolk County Board of Elections.
In Riverhead, Councilman Tim Hubbard, 63, a Republican who was first elected in 2015, defeated Democratic challenger Angela DeVito, 75, a former school board member. Incumbent Yvette Aguiar, a Republican, did not run for reelection. Hubbard won 59% of the votes compared with DeVito's 40%.
Riverhead Republicans swept the town council race as Denise Merrifield and Joann Waski defeated Democratic challengers Rene Suprina and Andrew Leven. The wins maintain an all-Republican town board.
Panico, a Brookhaven councilman, defeated Democrat Lillian Clayman, a labor history teacher. The race was to replace Republican Supervisor Ed Romaine, who triumphed Tuesday night in the county executive race.
“The recipe for success has three ingredients, and that’s being honest, being truthful and working hard,” Panico said shortly after midnight. “I am going to do the absolute best job I can for every resident and every community in the Town of Brookhaven.”
Panico won with 62% of votes compared with Clayman's 38%, unofficial results showed.
Panico, 45, is serving his sixth term on the town board and has been deputy supervisor since 2012.
Islip Republican Angie Carpenter, 79, who faced a challenge from Democrat Ken Colón, 27, led with 63% of votes compared with Colón's 37%, unofficial results showed. Carpenter was the lone incumbent seeking reelection in the seven Suffolk supervisor races.
East Hampton Councilwoman Kathee Burke-Gonzalez, 61, a Democrat, defeated Republican Gretta Leon, 36, a political newcomer in a bid to replace Peter Van Scoyoc, a Democrat who is retiring after six years in office. Burke-Gonzalez led with 68% of the votes compared with Leon's 32%, according to Suffolk Board of Elections.
The Democrats swept the town board positions as incumbent David Lys was reelected with 35% of the vote and newcomer Tom Flight was also elected with 32%. They defeated the Republican candidates, Scott Smith and Michael Wootton.
In Southold, Suffolk Legis. Al Krupski Jr., a Cutchogue Democrat, defeated Republican Donald Grim by a wide margin, with 72% of the votes compared with Grim's 28%. Krupski replaces Republican Scott Russell, who served as supervisor for 18 years.
For town board, Democrat Anne Smith, a former school superintendent, was leading with 26% followed by incumbent Republican Jill Doherty with just under 26%, unofficial vote tallies showed.
A win for Smith would retain a Democratic seat on the town board held by Sarah Nappa, who did not run for reelection.
Doherty, the deputy supervisor, held a slim lead over Democrat Gwynn Schroeder who had just under 25% and Republican Stephen Kiely was fourth with 23%.
In Southampton, Village of Westhampton Beach Mayor Maria Moore, 63, a Democrat, defeated Republican Councilwoman Cynthia McNamara, 45, in a race to replace term-limited Jay Schneiderman, a Democrat. Moore tallied 57% against McNamara's 43%.
Democrat Bill Pell, a current town trustee, was elected to the town board with 29% of the votes and fellow Democrat Michael Iasilli was leading for the second seat with 25%. Incumbent Republican Richard Martel was on the verge of losing his seat with 24% of the vote.
The race for Shelter Island supervisor was separated by just 44 votes with all four districts reporting.
Republican Councilwoman Amber Brach-Williams, 61, held the narrow advantage with just under 50% of the votes compared with 47% for Democrat Arnott Gooding, 77.
Gooding said Wednesday morning he was waiting for absentee votes to be counted, calling the race "very close." Republican chairman Gary Blados said he was waiting for outstanding absentee ballot numbers from the board of elections.
Brookhaven voters also reelected incumbents to five council districts. In the 6th District vacated by Panico, Republican Karen Dunne Kesnig won with 68% to defeat Democrat Kerry Spooner.
Babylon, Huntington and Smithtown elected council members.
The Democratic incumbents for Babylon Town council, DuWayne Gregory and Terence McSweeney, defeated Republican challenger Jarod Morris for two open seats.
In Huntington, the town board will likely be under one-party rule for the first time since 2009 as Republicans Brooke Lupinacci and Theresa Mari both held leads against Democrats Jen Hebert and Don McKay. Unofficial results showed Lupinacci with 26% of the votes and Mari in second place with 25%.
The two seats were open after incumbents Republican Gene Cook and Democrat Joan Cergol said they would not seek reelection.
Two incumbent Republicans, Lisa Inzerillo and Thomas Lohmann, won reelection to the Smithtown Town Board by defeating challengers Maria Scheuring and Sarah Tully. Inzerillo and Lohmann win with 33% of the votes.
Additional races were held throughout the 10 towns for positions including receiver of taxes, justice, town clerk and highway superintendent.
With Denise M. Bonilla, Brianne Ledda, Carl MacGowan, Deborah S. Morris, Jean-Paul Salamanca and Tara Smith
New supervisors in six Suffolk County towns are set to take office in 2024, including the county’s largest town — Brookhaven — where Republican Dan Panico swept to victory Tuesday night.
In the East End towns of East Hampton, Southampton and Southold, Democrats defeated Republican candidates, according to unofficial results from Suffolk County Board of Elections.
In Riverhead, Councilman Tim Hubbard, 63, a Republican who was first elected in 2015, defeated Democratic challenger Angela DeVito, 75, a former school board member. Incumbent Yvette Aguiar, a Republican, did not run for reelection. Hubbard won 59% of the votes compared with DeVito's 40%.
Riverhead Republicans swept the town council race as Denise Merrifield and Joann Waski defeated Democratic challengers Rene Suprina and Andrew Leven. The wins maintain an all-Republican town board.
Panico, a Brookhaven councilman, defeated Democrat Lillian Clayman, a labor history teacher. The race was to replace Republican Supervisor Ed Romaine, who triumphed Tuesday night in the county executive race.
“The recipe for success has three ingredients, and that’s being honest, being truthful and working hard,” Panico said shortly after midnight. “I am going to do the absolute best job I can for every resident and every community in the Town of Brookhaven.”
Panico won with 62% of votes compared with Clayman's 38%, unofficial results showed.
Panico, 45, is serving his sixth term on the town board and has been deputy supervisor since 2012.
Islip Republican Angie Carpenter, 79, who faced a challenge from Democrat Ken Colón, 27, led with 63% of votes compared with Colón's 37%, unofficial results showed. Carpenter was the lone incumbent seeking reelection in the seven Suffolk supervisor races.
East Hampton Councilwoman Kathee Burke-Gonzalez, 61, a Democrat, defeated Republican Gretta Leon, 36, a political newcomer in a bid to replace Peter Van Scoyoc, a Democrat who is retiring after six years in office. Burke-Gonzalez led with 68% of the votes compared with Leon's 32%, according to Suffolk Board of Elections.
The Democrats swept the town board positions as incumbent David Lys was reelected with 35% of the vote and newcomer Tom Flight was also elected with 32%. They defeated the Republican candidates, Scott Smith and Michael Wootton.
In Southold, Suffolk Legis. Al Krupski Jr., a Cutchogue Democrat, defeated Republican Donald Grim by a wide margin, with 72% of the votes compared with Grim's 28%. Krupski replaces Republican Scott Russell, who served as supervisor for 18 years.
For town board, Democrat Anne Smith, a former school superintendent, was leading with 26% followed by incumbent Republican Jill Doherty with just under 26%, unofficial vote tallies showed.
A win for Smith would retain a Democratic seat on the town board held by Sarah Nappa, who did not run for reelection.
Doherty, the deputy supervisor, held a slim lead over Democrat Gwynn Schroeder who had just under 25% and Republican Stephen Kiely was fourth with 23%.
In Southampton, Village of Westhampton Beach Mayor Maria Moore, 63, a Democrat, defeated Republican Councilwoman Cynthia McNamara, 45, in a race to replace term-limited Jay Schneiderman, a Democrat. Moore tallied 57% against McNamara's 43%.
Democrat Bill Pell, a current town trustee, was elected to the town board with 29% of the votes and fellow Democrat Michael Iasilli was leading for the second seat with 25%. Incumbent Republican Richard Martel was on the verge of losing his seat with 24% of the vote.
The race for Shelter Island supervisor was separated by just 44 votes with all four districts reporting.
Republican Councilwoman Amber Brach-Williams, 61, held the narrow advantage with just under 50% of the votes compared with 47% for Democrat Arnott Gooding, 77.
Gooding said Wednesday morning he was waiting for absentee votes to be counted, calling the race "very close." Republican chairman Gary Blados said he was waiting for outstanding absentee ballot numbers from the board of elections.
Brookhaven voters also reelected incumbents to five council districts. In the 6th District vacated by Panico, Republican Karen Dunne Kesnig won with 68% to defeat Democrat Kerry Spooner.
Babylon, Huntington and Smithtown elected council members.
The Democratic incumbents for Babylon Town council, DuWayne Gregory and Terence McSweeney, defeated Republican challenger Jarod Morris for two open seats.
In Huntington, the town board will likely be under one-party rule for the first time since 2009 as Republicans Brooke Lupinacci and Theresa Mari both held leads against Democrats Jen Hebert and Don McKay. Unofficial results showed Lupinacci with 26% of the votes and Mari in second place with 25%.
The two seats were open after incumbents Republican Gene Cook and Democrat Joan Cergol said they would not seek reelection.
Two incumbent Republicans, Lisa Inzerillo and Thomas Lohmann, won reelection to the Smithtown Town Board by defeating challengers Maria Scheuring and Sarah Tully. Inzerillo and Lohmann win with 33% of the votes.
Additional races were held throughout the 10 towns for positions including receiver of taxes, justice, town clerk and highway superintendent.
With Denise M. Bonilla, Brianne Ledda, Carl MacGowan, Deborah S. Morris, Jean-Paul Salamanca and Tara Smith
Joe Werkmeister covers the towns of Southampton, East Hampton and Shelter Island. He is a graduate of St. Bonaventure University and previously worked as the editor of two North Fork community newspapers.
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