“Anything that will defeat Trump and Republican craziness,” said Mark Rubin, 64, a retired founder of a manufacturing business who cast an emphatic vote for Mr. Suozzi mostly because Mr. Suozzi is not a member of Mr. Trump’s party. “Make sure the Democratic Party can be counted on.”
Victor Basile, 71, and his wife, Lois Basile, said they had been lifelong Republicans but switched to becoming registered Democrats after the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. Still, they said they tried to support the best candidate, regardless of party affiliation, and voted for Mr. Suozzi.
“After what was going on with the Republican Party, we just said, ‘You know, I don’t want to be associated with it,’” said Mr. Basile, a retired advertiser. “I never remembered people being so die-hard, one party versus the other for the sake of the party.”
Ms. Basile, 68, a retired nurse, added, “It’s a little frightening, the country the way it is now.”
The voter interviews revealed that crime was still a concern. Robyn Smith, who lives in Roslyn, said surveillance video showed attempted thefts of her family’s cars. Her children had experienced several school lockdowns, she said, and she fears for her safety when she shops at Roosevelt Field in nearby Garden City, one of the county’s largest shopping malls: “Every time I go there, I have to take off all my jewelry. Can’t carry anything.”
Chris Cavalli, 37, a restaurateur and Republican from Mineola, said when it comes to crime, he gives his party the edge. “I would like to see Republicans take a more conservative approach to spending and maintain a tough stance on crime, illegal immigration and accountability,” he said, adding that the Democrats were trying “to restrict American’s freedoms on everything from speech to guns.”
