It was a clean sweep by the Republicans in Long Beach as incumbent City Councilman Michael Reinhart, Tracey Johnson and George Ennis defeated Democrats Roy Lester, an incumbent, and Peggy Butts and Lillian Mosley on Tuesday night.
For the first time in 54 years, the city council in Long Beach is all Republican.
Reinhart and Johnson, the two top vote getters, earned four-year terms. Ennis finished in third place and gained a two-year term.
In just his first year in office, Reinhart made history by leading the effort to freeze city taxes for the first time in a decade — a milestone that reflected his commitment to making Long Beach more affordable and fiscally strong. Now, as he seeks re-election, he says his goal is simple: to continue the momentum.
One of his key priorities has been addressing parking challenges across the city.
“Parking in Long Beach has been talked about for years, but never tackled,” he said, previously. “We’ve launched a comprehensive parking study that looks at the needs of each neighborhood — because one size doesn’t fit all. The company we’ve partnered with will come back with suggestions, and we’ll test different approaches in specific areas to see what works before expanding citywide.”
Johnson noted that her goal is to continue moving Long Beach forward through sound judgment, collaboration and transparency. Her top priorities she said are protecting quality of life, maintaining fiscal responsibility, keeping taxes stable, and ensuring public safety for every resident.
She said previously that she wants, “to continue holding the line on taxes as the current council has done phenomenal job. Work with the zoning and planning boards to make sure that the city remains the way we like it without overdevelopment.”
Ennis has said that the current GOP majority, “has stabilized taxes in their first two years and I would work closely with the council to continue making that a No. 1 priority.”
“I would work very closely with current planning board to prevent overdevelopment, especially from absentee homeowners and developers,” he said previously. “And I am firmly against the Equinor Project, which I see as a major health and quality of life issue for our residents.”
In County Legislative District 4, incumbent Patrick Mullaney, a Republican won another two-year term. He said he plans on expanding what was done in his first term.
“Continuing on the trajectory that we’re on right now,” he said, “listening to what the people want, definitely keeping taxes low and public safety is a priority.”
Incumbent Republican Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman declared victory over Democrat Seth Koslow on Tuesday.
Blakeman, who gained his second four-year term, had focused his campaign on what he considered his successes — boosting public safety, cutting taxes and protecting the county’s quality of life.
“I want to thank the men and women of Nassau County for giving us all your trust,” Blakeman said. “If not for the people of Nassau County coming out the way they did, we wouldn’t have had the tremendous result we had tonight.”
In another race for top leader, Republican John Ferretti, who was appointed Hempstead Town Supervisor in August, defeated Democrat Joe Scianablo for the two-year term.
Ferretti previously told the Herald that the purpose of serving in local government is to make a difference in people’s lives every day — and now he will get to act on those words.
“Our position on the issues that face Hempstead residents, Nassau County residents — we’re on the right side of every one of them,” Ferretti told Herald reporters Tuesday night.