LI Republicans try to loosen Dems' grip on majority in state Assembly

The perennially outnumbered GOP minority in the state Assembly will seek to make inroads on Long Island, where it holds a slim majority, during the Nov. 8 election.

While more than two-thirds of Assembly seats statewide are held by Democrats, 12 of 22 seats in Nassau and Suffolk are held by Republicans.

All seats in the Assembly and State Senate, as well as elections for state comptroller, attorney general and governor, are on the ballot in the critical midterm election.

Republican Assembly candidates have been pushing issues of high crime and inflation, while Democrats have focused on threats to democracy and access to women’s health care.

All but one Assembly incumbent is running for reelection. District 15, which includes most of the Town of Oyster Bay and a slice of Glen Cove, has been vacant since Republican Michael Montesano was appointed a district court judge in July. 

Seeking to replace him are Republican Jake Blumencranz of Oyster Bay, who works in insurance, and Democrat Amanda Field of Old Bethpage, a Plainview water commissioner.

Campaign finance records show the Democratic Assembly Campaign Committee is investing to protect Assemb. Kimberly Jean-Pierre of Wheatley Heights, who is being challenged by Republican Christopher Sperber in District 11; Assemb. Steve Englebright of Setauket, who is facing Republican Edward Flood in District 4; and Assemb. Steve Stern of Dix Hills in the 10th District, who takes on Republican Aamir Sultan.

Meanwhile, Nassau Republicans have spent significant amounts on Assemb. Eric Ari Brown, who won a special election in the 20th District earlier this year. Brown will take on Democrat Michael Delury.

In the 21st District, incumbent Democratic Assemb. Judy Griffin, of Rockville Centre, is taking on former Assemb. Brian Curran, a former Lynbrook mayor, in a rematch of their 2018 race.

Here are the Long Island Assembly races:

• District 1: Democrat Fred Thiele (incumbent) and Republican Peter Ganley
• District 2: Democrat Wendy Hamberger and Republican Jodi Giglio (incumbent)
• District 3: Democrat Trina Miles and Republican Joseph DeStefano (incumbent)
• District 4: Democrat Steven Englebright (incumbent) and Republican Edward Flood 
• District 5: Democrat James Anthony and Republican Doug Smith (incumbent)
• District 6: Democrat Philip Ramos (incumbent) and Republican Kevin Surdi
• District 7: Democrat Douglas Pearsall and Republican Jarett Gandolfo (incumbent)
• District 8: Democrat Jeanine Aponte and Republican Michael Fitzpatrick (incumbent)
• District 9: Democrat Steven Dellavechia and Republican Michael Durso (incumbent)
• District 10: Democrat Steve Stern (incumbent) and Republican Aamir Sultan
• District 11: Democrat Kimberly Jean-Pierre (incumbent) and Republican Christopher Sperber
• District 12: Democrat Cooper Macco and Republican Keith Brown (incumbent)
• District 13: Democrat Charles Lavine (incumbent) and Republican Ruka Anzai
• District 14: Democrat Dustin Ginsberg and Republican David McDonough (incumbent)
• District 15: (Vacant) Democrat Amanda Field and Republican Jake Blumencranz
• District 16: Democrat Gina Sillitti (incumbent) and Republican Vibhuti Jha
• District 17: Democrat Paul Kaminsky and Republican John Mikulin (incumbent)
• District 18: Democrat Taylor Darling (incumbent) and Republican LaMont Johnson
• District 19: Democrat Sanjeev Jindal and Republican Edward Ra (incumbent)
• District 20: Democrat Michael Delury and Republican Eric Ari Brown (incumbent)
• District 21: Democrat Judy Griffin (incumbent) and Republican Brian Curran
• District 22: Democrat Michaelle Solages (incumbent) and Republican Cara Castronuova

With Yancey Roy

By Robert Brodsky

robert.brodsky@newsday.com@BrodskyRobert

Robert Brodsky is a breaking news reporter who has worked at Newsday since 2011. He is a Queens College and American University alum.