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Ed Romaine will take the helm as Suffolk County executive.
The Brookhaven Supervisor and former county legislator has defeated Democrat David Calone, a businessman and former prosecutor.
Romaine garnered a whopping 57.03 percent of the vote, or 158,452 to 119,052 for Calone, according to unofficial results from the Suffolk County Board of Elections.
“I intend to bring all of Suffolk together for a common sense agenda that moves us forward, that keeps our taxes low, that keeps us affordable, that makes sure we’re safer, that our law enforcement has the tools they need to do the job,” Romaine said in an acceptance speech.
The Republican from Center Moriches will take over for Babylon Democrat Steve Bellone, also a former town supervisor (Babylon), who has served as county executive for 12 years.
Bellone was unable to run again due to term limits.
Republicans also gained another seat in the Legislature, expanding their majority there.
The GOP will now hold the executive’s office in both Nassau and Suffolk counties, along with legislative majorities, the DA’s and comptroller’s offices, and all four congressional seats.
Romaine, 76, was first elected Brookhaven Town supervisor in a 2012 special election, and was re-elected four times. Before that he served in the Legislature, in a district that stretched from southeastern Brookhaven up into Riverhead and the entire North Fork.
Correction: An earlier version of this report wrongly indicated David Calone was a retired school teacher.
