President Donald Trump wasn't on the ballot this year, but he seemed to be on the mind of the voters as a wave of Democratic victories on Long Island were perceived to be a referendum on his tumultuous presidency.
Political analyst Mike Dawidziak says it is still too early to determine the exact Trump effect. However, he says that people's passion both for and against President Trump significantly boosted voter turnout. He says that the strong anti-Trump vote in Nassau County almost certainly played a role in getting Laura Curran and Laura Gillen elected.
Curran was elected as Nassau's first female county executive and Gillen broke through a GOP stronghold in Hempstead to become the town's first Democratic leader.
"What we can assume is that in Nassau County, where Trump did not do well, clearly there was a need to get out and vote against Trump and send a message," said Dawidziak.
Numerous people who spoke to News 12 seemed to confirm Dawidziak's theory.
Long Island was not the only area where Democrats did well on Election Night. Democrat George Latimer was elected Westchester County executive, defeating the two-term Republican incumbent. Traditional Republican strongholds in New Jersey, Delaware and Virginia also voted largely Democratic.