SULLIVAN COUNTY — Sullivan County voters split their support between Republicans and Democrats in Tuesday’s general election, favoring Bruce Blakeman for governor, Josh Riley for Congress and Chris Tague for state Senate.

However, an incredibly strong showing by incumbent Gov. Hochul in both Metropolitan New York and Long Island led to a landslide victory over the Nassau County Executive Blakeman, 3,488,826-2,340,313.

In Sullivan County, Blakeman received 13,190 votes, or 54.04%, compared with Hochul’s 11,182 votes, or 45.81%, according to unofficial election returns.

Despite losing Sullivan County and much of rural upstate New York, Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul did extremely well in Erie County, her hometown. She also won in Syracuse, Albany and Westchester County by strong margins. Surprisingly, Hochul even won both Nassau and Suffolk counties on Long Island by narrow margins, despite Blakeman’s many connections.

Blakeman called Hochul on election night to concede. During her victory speech, Hochul pledged to work with her Republican opponent.

“I will always partner with him to deliver for the people of Nassau County,” Hochul said.

Hochul characterized the election as a rejection of President Donald Trump’s policies, criticizing his immigration enforcement and tariffs while expressing a willingness to work with his administration on jobs, affordability and public safety.

Celebrating Democratic gains in congressional races across the country, Hochul told supporters, “This is how we take back our country.”

Looking ahead to her second term, Hochul emphasized reducing costs for working families, expanding access to childcare and continuing efforts to improve public safety. She acknowledged that winning reelection would not immediately ease the financial pressures facing New Yorkers.

“Winning an election doesn’t make your rent cheaper. Or lower your grocery bill,” Hochul said.

Statewide, incumbent Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli secured a win against Republican challenger Joseph Hernandez, with 3,714,221 votes (62.77 %) to 2,036,294 (34.41%). And Attorney General Letitia James won over Saritha Komatireddy with 3,481,797 votes (58.83%) to 2,302,654 (38.91%).

Riley returns to Congress

In New York’s 19th Congressional District, which covers 11 counties and stretches from Ithaca to the Hudson River, Democratic incumbent Josh Riley defeated Republican state Sen. Peter Oberacker to secure a second term in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Riley received 12,878 votes in Sullivan County, or 53.17%, compared with Oberacker’s 11,327 votes, or 46.76%, giving the incumbent a 1,551-vote advantage locally.

In the entire district, Riley outpolled Oberacker 165,758-123,624. Riley’s big margins of victory in Broome, Columbia and Tompkins counties spelled victory. Riley had 57.2% to Oberacker’s 42.7% of the vote, a 14.5% edge.

Both candidates emphasized affordability during their campaigns, particularly the rising cost of living in the predominantly rural district.

“We had been promised that costs were going to come down,” Riley said on election night. “We’ve been making a whole bunch of promises, and we’ve been betrayed on those.”

Oberacker called Riley to concede Tuesday night.

“Those fights don’t end tonight. I’ll keep fighting for Upstate New York, and I hope Congressman Riley joins me,” Oberacker said, referring to utility costs, farming expenses and rural communities’ interests.

Tague tagged for State Senate

Democrats are projected to gain six seats in the State Senate and eight in the Assembly, expanding their existing Assembly supermajority and regaining a supermajority in the Senate.

With Oberacker’s unsuccessful bid for Congress leaving his state Senate seat open, Republican Assemblyman Chris Tague declared victory over Democrat Michele Frazier in the 51st State Senate District.

Districtwide returns Wednesday showed Tague leading Frazier by 8.12 percentage points, with 63,058 votes, or 52.82%, to Frazier’s 53,361 votes, or 44.70%, with all 305 election districts reporting.

Tague also carried Sullivan County by a narrower margin of 2.9 percentage points, receiving 12,219 votes to Frazier’s 11,530, a difference of 689 votes.

“I’ve never backed down from a fight for the hardworking people of Upstate New York, and that’s not going to change in the State Senate,” Tague said in an election-night statement.

Tague, who currently represents the 102nd Assembly District, will keep the Senate seat in Republican hands. The results remained unofficial pending the counting of outstanding ballots and certification.

In the State Assembly, Democratic Assemblywoman Paula Elaine Kay and Republican Assemblyman Brian Maher ran unopposed and secured reelection.

Kay received 14,092 votes in the Sullivan County portion of the 100th Assembly District, while Maher received 2,300 votes in the county’s portion of the 101st Assembly District, which includes Fremont, Neversink and Rockland.

Town-wide Election Results

Sullivan County voters turned out to the polls on Tuesday, November 3. Below are the results from town elections.

Bethel

The Town of Bethel voted to re-elect Democratic/ People Over Politics incumbent Supervisor Daniel Sturm, who ran unopposed and received 1,173 votes (97.26%). Bethel residents voted to keep incumbent and unopposed candidate Republican/Conservative Rita Sheehan, who received 1,262 votes (99.29%), as Town of Bethel Clerk. Democratic/People Over Politics incumbent and unopposed candidate Town of Bethel Superintendent of Highways Rob Bonnaci took home 1,191 votes (99.33%). The only contested race in Bethel was that of Tax Collector, which was won by Democratic/People Over Politics candidate Julie Rozar. Rozar received 866 votes (51%) and narrowly defeated Republican/Conservative candidate Robert Doherty, who received 832 votes (49%).

Callicoon

Callicoon likes what it has and voted to re-elect both Tom Bose, incumbent and unopposed Republican/Conservative candidate for Town Supervisor receiving 811 votes (97.83%), and his son Ryan Bose, incumbent and unopposed Republican/Conservative candidate for Superintendent of Highways receiving 802 votes (97.92%).

Cochecton

Republican/Conservative candidate Edwin Grund won the Cochecton Town Supervisor race with 352 votes (52.93%) over Democratic/Right to Farm candidate Leanna Ballester, who received 165 votes (24.81%), and Cochecton United candidate Scott Goodman, who received 146 votes (21.95%). Republican/Conservative unopposed candidate Kevin Esselman won the race for Superintendent of Highways with 471 votes (97.11%). The race for Tax Collector was won by Eileen Hennessy, who received 486 votes (99.59%).

Delaware

Incumbent and unopposed Democratic candidate Scott Dubois was re-elected as Town of Delaware Supervisor, receiving 704 votes (99.72%). Incumbent and unopposed Democratic/People Over Politics candidate Leila McCullough won the election for Town Clerk/Tax Collector with 703 votes (99.72%). Incumbent and unopposed Democratic candidate Christopher Hermann took home 726 votes (99.45%) and won the race for Superintendent of Highways.

Fallsburg

Incumbent and unopposed Democratic/Republican/Conservative candidate Nathan Steingart was re-elected as Town Supervisor with 2,752 votes (98.53%). Incumbent and unopposed Republican/Conservative candidate Arnold Seletsky won the council member vacancy race with 2,027 votes (97.97%). Republican and unopposed candidate Heather Brown won the Receiver of Taxes race with 1,701 votes (96.81%). Fallsburg voters also decided on a proposition that would change the Town Supervisor’s term from two to years to four years, ultimately shooting it down with a majority “no” vote of 1,619 (53.86%) to yes’s with 1,387 votes (46.14%).

Forestburgh

Democratic/Forestburgh United candidate Gillian Kaiser took home 321 votes (60%) and won the Town Supervisor race over Republican/Conservative candidate William B. Sipos, who received 214 votes (40%). The Clerk/Tax Collector race went to incumbent and unopposed candidate Teresa Collins, who received 330 votes (99.4%). Democratic and Forestburgh United candidate Todd Petrowsky won the Highway Superintendent race with 316 votes (60.77%) over Republican/Conservative candidate William VanAken, who received 202 votes (38.85%).

Fremont

Incumbent and unopposed Republican/Conservative candidate Brian Brustman won the Town Supervisor race with 385 votes (99.48%). Reigning in 100% of votes (387) for Clerk/Tax Collector was incumbent and unopposed Democratic candidate Jody Schanil. Incumbent and unopposed Republican candidate George Conklin won the Superintendent of Highways race with 363 votes (96.03%).

Highland

In the Town of Highland, two seats were up for grabs. Incumbent Supervisor and cross-endorsed candidate John Pizzolato, running on the Democratic and Lifting Neighbors lines, eked out a victory over Republican challenger Mary Ellen Carney with 550 votes (53.14%) to her 483 (46.67%). Running unopposed for Highway Superintendent was cross-endorsed candidate Joseph R. Consiglio, who secured the position with 634 votes (81.49%).

Lumberland

The only race in Lumberland was for a Town Council Member seat to fill a vacancy. Cross-endorsed candidate Douglas S. Dobrzynski ran unopposed on the Republican and Conservative lines, earning 543 votes (96.62%).

Mamakating

In the Town of Mamakating, eight positions were on the ballot, with all incumbents retaining their seats.

For Town Supervisor, cross-endorsed incumbent Peter Goodman, running on the Democratic and Conservative lines, defeated Republican challenger Viktor Gjelaj with 2,187 votes (53.92%) to Gjelaj’s 1,862 (45.91%).

For Ward 1 Council Member, cross-endorsed incumbent Michael Robbins ran unopposed on the Republican and Conservative lines, earning 506 votes (99.22%). Ward 2 Council Member Gary Forthoffer, also a cross-endorsed incumbent running unopposed on the Republican and Conservative lines, earned 465 votes (97.48%).

In Ward 3, cross-endorsed incumbent Matt Mordas, running on the Democratic and Conservative lines, defeated Republican challenger Dino Orfanos with 413 votes (58.92%) to Orfanos’ 288 (41.08%).

For the Ward 4 Council Member seat, cross-endorsed incumbent Robert Rogers, running on the Republican and Conservative lines, defeated cross-endorsed challenger Kalin Moon, who ran on the Democratic and Mamakating United lines. Rogers received 379 votes (59.50%) to Moon’s 258 (40.50%).

Ward 5 saw a closer race, as cross-endorsed incumbent James Post, running on the Republican and Conservative lines, narrowly defeated challenger Leslie Ocasio, another cross-endorsed candidate. Post earned 324 votes (52.26%) to Ocasio’s 296 (47.74%).

In Ward 6, cross-endorsed incumbent Tyler Wood ran unopposed on the Republican and Conservative lines, receiving 507 votes (99.02%).

For Highway Superintendent, incumbent Thomas Morrow ran on the Republican line and secured 2,690 votes (98.86%).

Neversink

In Neversink, three positions were uncontested: Town Supervisor, Clerk/Tax Collector and Highway Superintendent. All three incumbents were re-elected.

For Town Supervisor, cross-endorsed incumbent Chris Mathews, running on the Republican and Conservative lines, received 1,075 votes (96.67%). Clerk and Tax Collector Staci Conjura also retained her position, earning 1,116 votes (99.38%).

Highway Superintendent Preston Kelly, running on the Democratic and Republican lines, received 1,355 votes (99.93%) to retain his position.

Rockland

In the Town of Rockland, both positions on the ballot were uncontested. Cross-endorsed candidate Robert W. Eggleton, running on the Democratic and Conservative lines, secured another term as Town Supervisor with 884 votes (97.68%).

For Highway Superintendent, cross-endorsed candidate Roger S. Decker, running on the Republican and Conservative lines, received 930 votes (98.52%).

Thompson

In the Town of Thompson, two positions were on the ballot, including a contested race for a Town Council Member seat to fill a vacancy. Running unopposed for Town Supervisor was cross-endorsed candidate Scott S. Mace, who ran on the Republican and Conservative lines and received 2,292 votes (98.24%).

For the Council Member vacancy, cross-endorsed candidate Shawn F. Wiles, running on the Republican and People’s Choice lines, defeated challenger Richard L. Benjamin Jr., who ran on the Conservative and People Over Politics lines. Wiles received 1,583 votes (59.53%) to Benjamin’s 1,059 (39.83%).

Tusten

In the Town of Tusten, both positions on the ballot were uncontested. Cross-endorsed candidate Bernard R. Johnson, running on the Republican and Conservative lines, retained his position as Town Supervisor with 374 votes (97.65%).

For Highway Superintendent, cross-endorsed candidate Donald J. Neiger, also running on the Republican and Conservative lines, received 373 votes (97.90%) to retain his position.