Three Long Island House Incumbents Lead Early Count

Early returns show Democrats Tom Suozzi and Laura Gillen and Republican Andrew Garbarino ahead as House control hinges on a few seats.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Legislative Policy

Three Long Island House Incumbents Lead Early Count

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Democrats Tom Suozzi and Laura Gillen and Republican Andrew Garbarino led early vote counts in their Long Island House races on election night, with less than half of the expected vote counted as of 9:45 p.m. No results had been reported in the district represented by Republican Nick LaLota.

Why it matters

Democrats need a net gain of at least three seats to take the House majority, making Long Island's suburban districts a closely watched part of the national contest. Forecasters described the election as potentially a significant change election for the chamber.

Early counting showed Suozzi, Gillen and Garbarino ahead, but less than half of the expected vote had been counted at 9:45 p.m. Democrats need at least three net seats to win the House, and the District 1 race had no reported results.

The players

Nick LaLota

LaLota is the Republican incumbent in District 1, a Amityville resident whose district had no reported results on election night.

Laura Gillen

Gillen is a Democrat who unseated former Republican Rep. Anthony D'Esposito in 2024 and was leading early counts in District 4.

Tom Suozzi

Suozzi is a Democrat leading early counts in District 3, where he faces Republican challenger Mike LiPetri.

Andrew Garbarino

Garbarino is a Republican who was ahead in early counting in District 2, facing Democratic challenger Patrick Halpin.

The details

Suozzi and Gillen are Democrats, and Garbarino is the Republican incumbent in District 2, all leading in early tallies. Gillen unseated former Republican Rep. Anthony D'Esposito in 2024. Voter frustration with the Iran war, Trump's tariffs, immigration enforcement, gas prices and the economy was cited as a factor, while Nassau County is home turf to GOP gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman.

2024: Gillen unseated D'Esposito in District 4.
September: Old consensual photos of Gallant went viral.
November 4, 2026: Election night vote counting for Long Island House races.

Season Trajectory

The 2024 election, when Gillen unseated D'Esposito in District 4, showed Long Island's suburban seats were competitive and shifting. Early counts on election night suggest those contests remain close as Democrats seek the net gain of at least three seats needed for the House majority.

Which party controls the House will shape the legislative agenda on tariffs, immigration enforcement and federal spending. Final certified results in these Long Island districts will determine whether Democrats reach the three-seat net gain they need.

The takeaway

Early counts favor the incumbents named here, but the outcome of the national House majority will depend on results still pending in districts like District 1. Readers should watch certified tallies before drawing firm conclusions.