Incumbent Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus declared victory late Tuesday over Democrat Michael Sussman in his effort to win a fourth four-year term.

Neuhaus, a Republican, was leading Sussman, a civil rights attorney, 35,582 to 26,434, or 57%-43%, with 275 of 343 districts reporting, according to the Orange County Board of Elections website. 

A Sussman spokesperson appeared to concede the race, saying, “the voters have spoken.”

Neuhaus is a lifelong Orange County resident and a Navy Reserves commander who has deployed abroad four times.

He continued to show electoral strength in a county carried by Democrats such as Rep. Pat Ryan and state Senator James Skoufis in recent years.

This election, he focused his message on bringing property taxes down, increasing green space in the county and growing tourism. He said he wants his next term to focus on lowering county property taxes, creating more preserved open space and diversifying entertainment in Orange County. 

Sussman, a civil rights attorney, has campaigned on a platform of change, saying that one-party rule in Orange County has hurt taxpayers.

Neuhaus last ran unopposed in 2021.