Republicans Turn Out the Lights in East Hampton

Another epitaph for the “old Republican Party” was written this week in the township of East Hampton, N.Y., where no GOP candidate has filed for the top position, supervisor, in the November election. This story in the East Hampton Star lays out the contemporary context of the party’s demise there, which mirrors what has happened in other affluent burghs across the U.S. The shift in East Hampton (which includes hamlets such as Montauk and Amagansett) began earlier than most–in the 1970s as the area grew more closely connected to New York City and land-preservation issues emerged. But the state Assembly Speaker, Perry Duryea, hailed from there, and Republican candidates were still competitive for supervisor (occasionally winning) and victorious down ballot. No supervisorial nominee was found in 2013 but the circumstances were unusual and the party still captured five town positions that year. This year another wipeout is virtually assured. ICE raids on the immigrant population have further roiled locals this year (East Hampton’s school rolls are half Latino), and campaign money is increasingly the domain of Democrats. Periodically, Donald Trump alights in Southampton town, to the west, for fundraisers–if not so many votes–but he needn’t bother trekking the extra 10 miles to Long Island’s tip. –Apr. 25, 2026

https://www.easthamptonstar.com/government/2026422/its-official-no-republican-east-hampton-town-supervisor