Gillibrand wins third term as U.S. senator; 4 LI congressional seats at stake

ALBANY — Democratic U.S. Sen. Kristen Gillibrand won a third term Tuesday, turning back the challenge by Republican Mike Sapraicone, according to The Associated Press.

Gillibrand is one of New York’s two U.S. senators, along with Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer, who wasn’t up for reelection this year.

Sapraicone, a former NYPD detective and security firm owner, waged his first congressional campaign.

Gillibrand had powerful advantages in the race with high name recognition, more funding and a liberal voting record along with sponsorship of bipartisan bills. Democrats also have a statewide voter enrollment of more than 2:1 over Republicans statewide.

Voters on Tuesday also cast ballots in four congressional races on Long Island that could help determine which party controls the House of Representatives. Republicans hold the House majority with an eight-seat advantage in the 435-member chamber.

Early returns made the Long Island races too close to call shortly after the polls closed.

4th District

First-term Rep. Anthony D’Esposito faced Democrat Laura Gillen in the 4th Congressional District in Nassau County.

Gillen was a strong supporter of abortion rights while D’Esposito emphasized his law enforcement background.

Gillen is the former Hempstead Town supervisor and the congressional district is almost entirely in the town. She contends the federal government should get more involved with flood insurance programs and wants more funding for water quality improvements.

D'Esposito has promised to secure the nation's southern border and end the flow of migrants, which he said includes criminals, into Long Island neighborhoods.

1st District

In the heated 1st Congressional District race, another first-term Republican is challenged in the district that covers stretches from the Twin Forks to parts of Huntington and includes wealthy East End enclaves and blue collar hamlets in Brookhaven Town.

Rep. Nick LaLota (R-Amityville) was opposed by Democrat John Avlon, a former CNN commentator who has a home in Sag Harbor.

 P residential "coattails" were expected to play a role in close races like this and LaLota supported Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump. Democrats on Long Island and in Washington backed Avlon, saying he had a good chance to flip the seat from the GOP.

3rd District

The 3rd Congressional District pitted veteran Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) against Republican Michael LiPetri, of Farmingdale, a former Assembly member.

Suozzi reclaimed the seat he had left to run for governor. Since returning to Congress, he has made a top priority of repealing Trump’s 2017 law that limited the deductibility of state and local taxes — known as SALT — on federal income tax returns. That raised taxes for many Long Islanders.

LiPetri, who ran as a strong supporter of Trump, has worked as a lobbyist since leaving the Assembly. He served in the Assembly from 2019 to 2021, then ran unsuccessfully for Congress. LiPetri is managing director at Park Strategies, a lobbying firm founded by former U.S. Sen. Alfonse D’Amato, a Republican.

2nd District

In the district that includes the South Shore in Suffolk County, Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-Sayville) is challenged by Democrat Rob Lubin, 29, of Lindenhurst, an entrepreneur in the pro sports marketing field.

Garbarino has served two terms and is a former assemblyman and a lawyer. For Lubin, this was his first political campaign.

Both candidates said a top priority is repealing the $10,000 cap on state and local tax deductions, known as SALT, which hits those with high incomes and high property values particularly hard.

Garbarino whose constituents were hit hard by SALT proposed repealing or revising the SALT cap, but it didn't happen. Lubin criticized Garbarino for failing to gain support for his bills to repeal even among his own Republican leadership.

No state other than California is expected to have as big an impact on control the House than New York, which as a better than 2:1 voter enrollment advantage over Republicans statewide. In addition to the four seats on Long Island, there are four other tight congressional races in the state.

By Michael Gormley

michael.gormley@newsday.com@GormleyAlbany

Michael Gormley has worked for Newsday since 2013, covering state government, politics and issues. He has covered Albany since 2001.