Welker, Stark Elected to Suffolk County Legislature; Romaine Is Next County Executive

Democrat Ann Welker easily held off Republican Manny Vilar to win election in the Suffolk County Legislature’s 2nd District — one of the few Democratic stars in countywide races on Tuesday.

Welker, the first woman to serve as a Southampton Town Trustee, will replace outgoing Legislator Bridget Fleming, who did not seek another term. She received more than 61 percent of the vote, to Vilar’s 39 percent, according to unofficial results from the Suffolk County Board of Elections, to keep the district, which covers all of East Hampton Town and most of Southampton Town, in Democratic hands.

Welker, who was back at work as an exercise physiologist at Stony Brook Southampton Hospital on Wednesday morning after a long election night, issued a brief statement.

“I am deeply grateful to the communities on the South Fork, who resoundingly supported my run for Suffolk County Legislature,” she said. “We ran a strong campaign by partnering with the excellent teams at the county and town levels. I look forward to continuing, and building upon, the exemplary work of Legislator Bridget Fleming on challenges to our environment and quality of life.”

Elsewhere, Republicans continued their string of recent successes at the county level, as Catherine Stark defeated Catherine Kent to flip the 1st District seat to the Republican side. Also, Republican Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine cruised to an easy victory over Democrat Dave Calone in the county executive’s race, where Democrat Steve Bellone, who had served 12 years, was not allowed to run because of term limits.

Stark will replace her former boss, Democrat Al Krupski, who gave up the seat to run a successful race for Southold Town supervisor.

According to unofficial BOE results, Stark received 53 percent of the vote to Kent’s 47 percent. The 1st District, which is the largest in the county, runs from Fishers Island and includes Southold, Riverhead, and Shelter Island towns, and a portion of western Southampton Town and slice of eastern Brookhaven Town.

“I am so thankful for the people of the 1st District who have trusted me to represent them in the legislature,” said Stark, who currently serves as Krupski’s legislative aide. “I am focused on my campaign promise to make Suffolk County a safer and more affordable place for generations grow — a place to live not leave.”

Republicans, who held a commanding 11-6 margin in the 18-member Suffolk County Legislature, have won enough seats for a 12-6 super-majority. Besides Stark’s victory in the 1st District, Republican Chad Lennon defeated Democrat Dorothy Cavalier in the 6th District, 61 to 39 percent, to replace outgoing Democrat Sarah Anker, who was term-limited.

Democrats were able to flip one seat themselves, with Rebecca Sanin defeating Republican incumbent Manuel Esteban Sr. in the 16th District, 53 to 47 percent. Democrats also held on to the 5th District seat, where former New York State Assemblyman and County Legislator Steven Englebright returned to elected office after defeating Republican Anthony Figliola, also by 53 to 47 percent. The seat had been held by Democrat Kara Hahn, who, facing term limits, resigned to take a state job.

Romaine, who has held a variety of elected offices for nearly 40 years, ascended to the county’s top job with a resounding 57 to 43 majority, defeating Calone by nearly 40,000 votes. He will be the first Republican county executive since Robert Gaffney won in 1999.

“You’ve given us a mandate,” he told jubilant supporters when he claimed victory at about 11:40 p.m. Tuesday, shortly after Calone conceded the race. “Tonight, we crushed it, baby! We crushed it!”

Romaine pledged to use that mandate “to move this county forward,” and he added that voters had sent a message: “We’ve painted this county red!”

Romaine said he had seen many different signs during the campaign but the one that resonated with him stated, “Bring Us Together.”

He said he planned to do just that. “As your county executive-elect, I intend to bring all of Suffolk County together with a common sense agenda that moves us forward, that keeps our taxes low, that keeps us affordable, that makes sure we are safe, and that our law enforcement have the tools they need to do their job.”