GOP Taps Ed Romaine for Suffolk Executive

By Thomas Nothel

The Suffolk Republicans have named Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine as their nominee for Suffolk County Executive. As a longtime Suffolk office holder in an increasingly Republican county, Romaine is the strong favorite to win this November’s election and replace County Executive Steve Bellone (D-Babylon), who is term-limited and cannot run for re-election.

“As our Suffolk County Executive, Ed Romaine will take on the problems of long-term fiscal distress, give our police the tools they need to combat crime, and support economic development for our local businesses,” stated Suffolk GOP Chairman Jesse Garcia. “And he will insure the protection of our environment and drinking water.”

The Suffolk County Democratic Party has nominated businessman Dave Calone. He lost the Democratic primary for US Congress in 2016 to Anna Throne-Holst, who in then lost the race for Congress to US Congressman Lee Zeldin (R-NY1).

Romaine has been the Brookhaven Town Supervisor since he won a special election in 2013. He won a full 2 year term that fall, and won re-election four more times, until the present. Prior to being elected Brookhaven Town Supervisor, Romaine represented two different districts in the Suffolk Count Legislature, and served five terms as Suffolk County Clerk

Romaine served two terms Suffolk County Legislature representing the Second District, which spans Eastport to Bellport, and north to Coram. In November 1989 he was elected county Suffolk County clerk and won re-election four times. In 2005, Romaine was again elected to the County Legislature, representing the First Legislative District and re-elected in 2007, 2009, and 2011.

Romaine is an environmental advocate and fiscal conservative. His initiatives as Brookhaven Town Suffolk Supervisor helped reduce millions in Town debt and have monitored spending to keep property taxes low.

As Brookhaven Supervisor, Romaine championed environmental legislation, including protecting the Carmans River Watershed and single-stream recycling, an innovative policy that has made the Town of Brookhaven a regional leader for recycling. As a county legislator, he sponsored numerous pieces of legislature that protected the environment and preserved acres of open space in Suffolk County.

The Democrats have held the County Executive position since 2003, when Steve Levy won the seat as a Democrat (in 2010 he switched parties and became a Republican, and was immediately forced out of office by the Democrat District Attorney – now convicted felon - Thomas Spota) who was succeeded by Bellone nine years ago.

Neither Romaine nor Calone are facing primary elections, and both are expected to be their respective parties’ nominees as of next week, when nominating petitions are filed with the county Board of Elections.