While Hillary Clinton (D) won New York’s 29 electoral votes, it was Donald Trump (R) who came out on top in the 2016 election. “The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer,” the 45th president of the United States told supporters at a rally in New York City early on Wednesday morning.
The astonishing outcome, which contradicted late polls that had Clinton on top, was a surprise for many.
It also marks the first time that the random sample “poll” from the Monogram Shop has been incorrect. Since the 2004 presidential race, the East Hampton store that specializes in personalized items has been selling plastic drinking cups with the presidential candidates’ names on them. Owner Valerie Smith keeps tabs on the number sold for each candidate and posts an update daily on the window of the store. Until now, the candidate that sold the most cups in each election had coincidentally also won the race. The 2016 tally had Clinton well ahead of Trump.
Locally, incumbent Lee M. Zeldin (R) defeated challenger Anna Throne-Holst (D) in the 1st Congressional District race. “A powerful message was sent all around the 1st Congressional District today, all throughout the state of New York, and all around America. We love our country, you helped knock on those doors and make those calls, your passion, patriotism and desire to secure our country and grow our economy for our next generation,” Congrasman Zeldin said in his victory speech. While Throne-Holst said her congressional campaign was a “privilege of a lifetime” in her concession speech.
Incumbent Kenneth P. LaValle (R) comfortably won the New York State Senate – 1st Congressional District race against his opponent Gregory John Fischer (D).
Incumbent Fred W. Thiele Jr. (D) will also remain in office as the New York State Assemblyman – 1st Congressional District representative. He edged out his opponent Heather C. Collins (R) 62 percent to 38 percent.
Incumbent Charles E. Schumer (D) comfortably beat his opponents Wendy Long (R), Robin Laverne Wilson (G), and Alex Merced (LIB) in the U.S Senate race.
Joseph H. Lorintz and Edmund Dane were elected as New York State Supreme Court Justice and Andrea H. Schiavoni (D) was elected as Southampton Town Justice. Riverhead Town Justice Allen Smith was re-elected and Shelter Island Town Justice Helen J. Rosenblum, who was running unopposed, earned 1,182 votes.
Amber F. Branch-Williams (R) beat incumbent Mary H. Dudley in the Shelter Island Town Council race.
Proposition 1, which extends until Dec. 31, 2050, the real estate transfer tax imposed to benefit the Town Community Preservation Fund, and allow up to 20 percent of those funds to go toward water quality improvement projects, was overwhelmingly passed across the East End in Southampton, East Hampton, Southold, and Riverhead.
Proposition 2, which would approve a local law increasing the term of the town supervisor from two years to four years in Riverhead, was passed.