Long Beach Republicans will take full control of the City Council in January after sweeping last week\u2019s election in what had long been a Democratic stronghold \u2014 and leaders of both parties acknowledged a “Mamdani effect.”<\/p>\n
Incumbent Councilman Michael G. Reinhart won, along with fellow Republicans George W. Ennis and Tracey A. Johnson. They will serve with Republicans Brendan Finn and Chris Fiumara, who were not up for election this year, on the five-member council. Incumbent Democrat Roy J. Lester lost his seat, and his two running mates trailed behind him.<\/p>\n
The city\u2019s Democratic establishment lost its majority on the council two years ago as a GOP slate led by Finn ushered in new leadership.<\/p>\n
Nassau County Republican Committee chairman Joseph Cairo said voters last week responded positively to the Republican leadership in City Hall.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey did a good job the last two years, they’ll continue to do that and I think it builds a foundation for years to come,\u201d Cairo said. \u201cThe world’s upside down and we got to straighten things out.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Incumbent Republican Councilman Michael G. Reinhart was reelected last week, leading a GOP sweep. Credit: James Escher<\/p>\n
Cairo said voters are fearful of what Democratic New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani\u2019s win<\/a> will mean across the border in Nassau. \u201cThe city’s upside down, and we don’t want it to happen in Nassau County,\u201d Cairo said. He added: \u201cWe have the issues on our side.\u201d<\/p>\n Jay Jacobs, chairman of the Nassau County Democratic Committee, also said Mamdani played a role in the vote.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Democrats have a brand problem,\u201d Jacobs said. \u201cThe Republicans were very successful in smearing Democrats as socialist, far-left radicals. They used Zohran Mamdani\u2019s primary win in the city as proof that Democrats were, as they put it, going too far to the left.\u201d<\/p>\n Democrats have a significant advantage in voter registration, with 10,702 voters, or 44.6%, registered with that party. That compares with 5,920 registered Republican voters, or 24.7%, according to Nassau County Board of Elections<\/a> figures. Nonaffiliated voters, or \u201cblanks,\u201d make up the second-largest bloc: 6,113 registered voters, or 25.5%. About 5% of Long Beach voters belong to third parties.<\/p>\n Republican ascendancy in Long Beach suggests that Democrats are voting across party lines, political consultant Michael Dawidziak said.<\/p>\n \u201cYou have to say, well, that means inescapably, some Democrats are voting Republican,\u201d Dawidziak said. \u201cWhether they just feel this is much more in their line \u2014 way \u2014 of thinking right now, as far as whether it’s protecting quality of life \u2026 they’re voting Republican.\u201d<\/p>\n Cairo shared that view of Democrats voting Republican, but Jacobs said it was the unaffiliated voters who were swayed rather than Democrats.<\/p>\n