New York Republicans flip seats in Bronx and Suffolk County

New York Republicans made solid ground on election night Tuesday with candidates flipping seats in Democratic strongholds. The GOP took control of Long Island, a politically crucial suburb, and a Republican won a major upset in the Bronx.

Kristy Marmorato (R) defeated Democrat incumbent Marjorie Velázquez for New York City Council District 13 in the East Bronx. Marmorato's victory makes it the first time a Republican has been elected to public office in the Bronx since 2004, according to Bronx Times. Velázquez served only one term.

While election night votes are still being tallied, Marmorato's lead appears to be enough to sustain the win and she declared victory at Brewski’s Bar and Grill in Throggs Neck.

"We did it," Marmorato said in the presence of her family and supporters. "I'm honored to have this role and I'm going to make the people of the District 13 so proud."

"I want to congratulate Marjorie, she ran a good campaign and it was a tight race," she said after securing nearly 53 percent of the vote on Tuesday evening.

The district that Marmorato flipped is made up of 61.7 percent of registered Democrats, 44 percent of registered Republicans, and 19.8 percent of unaffiliated voters, according to the outlet. Neighborhoods in the district include Throggs Neck, Allerton, Morris Park, City Island, and Pelham Parkway.

In addition to the upset in the Bronx, Republicans secured another major victory in Suffolk County with the GOP taking control of Long Island.

Republican Ed Romaine won his race for Suffolk County Executive in a landslide victory over Democrat David Calone becoming the first Republican to win the office since 1999.

The New York Post reports that with Romaine's victory the GOP occupies "all the countywide seats in Nassau and Suffolk Counties — both county executive seats, the district attorney and comptroller's offices, as well as all four congressional seats."

"We crushed it, baby. We crushed it," County Executive-elect Edward Romaine said in a celebratory speech. "As your county legislative executive, I plan on bringing all of Suffolk together."

Former US Senator Al D’Amato (R) called Romaine's victory a "political earthquake," according to the Post.

D'Amoto attributed the win to Long Island voters rejecting the current trajectory of the Democrat party which has riddled the state with high crime rates and an illegal immigration crisis.