Rep. Lee Zeldin won re-election to the 1st Congressional District seat Tuesday night.

"Victory is sweet," the congressman said to begin his victory speech. He also said he was looking forward to returning to Washington and a Republican-controlled House of Representatives early next year.

Zeldin fended off Democratic challenger and former Southampton Town Supervisor Anna Throne-Holst.

He and other Suffolk Republicans gathered in Patchogue to watch as election results came in.

Their presidential candidate, Donald Trump, made a campaign stop there at the Emporium earlier in the year.

Suffolk County GOP Chairman John Jay LaValle welcomed him at the time, but other than Zeldin and Rep. Peter King, few Suffolk Republicans seeking re-election were willing to publicly endorse the candidate. 

Early in the evening, LaValle said voter turnout appeared to be encouraging for the county's Republican candidates, including Zeldin. 

Off the record, many candidates said they were worried about endorsing Trump after his off-script comments deriding Mexicans, other minorities and women. That was before the release of a 2005 Access Hollywood tape in which he made further lewd comments insulting women.