Well, isn’t this a twist? Deep-blue New York, the state that practically hands out DNC loyalty cards with your driver’s license, just slipped up and let a Republican win in Southampton. Richard Martel, a local business owner and former town board member, snagged a seat on the town council, edging out Democrat John Leonard with 53% of the vote. In a place where residents are more likely to see a Bernie Sanders bumper sticker than a Trump flag, that’s no small feat.
Now, let’s not pretend this is a red wave crashing into Manhattan just yet—but it sure feels like the tide is shifting in places Democrats used to treat like personal playgrounds. We’re talking about Southampton, people. Home to some of the most liberal, wine-sipping elites in America. A region of the Hamptons where celebrities summer, hedge fund managers retreat, and you’re more likely to bump into an MSNBC pundit than someone who knows how to change a tire. And yet, voters there chose the Republican.
That’s gotta sting.
Martel’s victory is more than just a local win—it’s a flashing red light on the Democrats’ dashboard. It says, “Hey, maybe shouting about climate change while ignoring illegal immigration, skyrocketing housing costs, and failing local services isn’t the winning strategy you thought it was.” Turns out, voters—even some in traditionally liberal strongholds—actually care about the basics: law, order, housing, and affordability. And when Democrats start ignoring those issues in favor of another round of pronoun seminars, well, you get what happened in Southampton.
🚨 Republicans have WON a local special election in New York.
Richard Martel (R) defeated John Leonard (D) for the Southampton council – seat previously held by a DEMOCRAT. pic.twitter.com/emxGNWAsbu
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) March 23, 2025
And it’s not just this one race. Republicans already hold two congressional seats on Long Island. Let that sink in: in New York, where the media would have you believe a GOP win is about as likely as spotting Bigfoot riding the subway, Republicans are quietly rebuilding. Two members of the city council are red, too—Joann Ariola and Vickie Paladino, both of whom just got reelected. These aren’t flukes. These are pressure points. Weak spots in the Democrat fortress.
Even more eyebrow-raising? Mayor Eric Adams, the Democrat who once pretended to be New York City’s law-and-order savior before getting swallowed up by his own party’s dysfunction, is reportedly thinking about running for reelection as a Republican. That sound you hear? It’s the DNC reaching for the panic button. Adams has already cozied up to the Trump-Vance administration and dodged a corruption investigation like a political Houdini. If he switches parties, Democrats in New York are going to be in full meltdown mode by November.
Of course, the establishment media will try to bury all this. They’ll paint Martel’s win as an isolated incident. A “quirk.” Maybe they’ll blame bad weather, low turnout, or voter confusion. But the truth is, people are fed up. Fed up with policies that make cities less safe, taxes that crush the middle class, and party leaders who treat working-class voters like props in a campaign ad.
The Southampton race wasn’t just about red versus blue—it was about competence versus chaos. Martel talked about local concerns: affordable housing, community safety, and yes, enforcing immigration laws. His opponent? Just another Democrat trying to ride national talking points to local victory. It didn’t work.
And if Republicans keep focusing on solutions and showing up in places they used to ignore? Democrats better buckle up. Because if the GOP is making inroads in the Hamptons of all places, what’s next? Queens? Brooklyn? Don’t laugh. With New Yorkers watching crime climb, rent spike, and politicians fumble their way through governance, anything’s possible.
So here’s to Richard Martel. A win that seemed unlikely, now starting to feel like the beginning of something bigger. Keep an eye on New York, folks. The empire state just might be getting a little redder.
