Islip GOP taps a new chairman, easing out Garbarino the elder

Daily Point

A town GOP pivots to younger leadership

After an extended period of awkward internal differences,  the Town of Islip Republican Committee on Tuesday voted Assemb. Doug Smith in as its new chairman, succeeding William Garbarino, the father of Rep. Andrew Garbarino.

Behind the scenes, Islip’s dominant Republicans have been undergoing sporadic ferment over their veteran leadership.

Before the committee convened this week, Garbarino, 79, who became its chair in 2016, had been eyeing another, final term, sources told The Point. In April came a public glimpse of the tension. The elder Garbarino filed a lawsuit — later dropped — accusing more than 20 defendants of being responsible for “wrongfully and fraudulently” placing his name on petitions of insurgent committee candidates in the June 24 primaries. That suggested an insurgency was in the works to oust him.

On Wednesday, Smith called the vote “a good show of unity” and spoke of the party going forward and keeping a focus on daily issues in the town’s civic life, including safety and affordability. Before this, Smith was vice-chair. That post now will be filled by DawnMarie D. Kuhn, a data expert and aide to Legis. Anthony A. Piccirillo.

At one point some casual snark was heard about the degree of the younger Garbarino’s MAGA commitment after he reportedly slept through a House budget vote that passed anyway. However, one GOP source told The Point that not only was the episode irrelevant to William Garbarino’s chairmanship, but the elder Garbarino had told people for some time he’d been considering retirement.

Suffolk Republican chairman Jesse Garcia said in a statement that he “extended heartfelt thanks” to the retiring chairman for accomplishments that included strengthening the GOP town board majority, flipping county and state seats from blue to red, playing a pivotal role in delivering Islip pluralities for District Attorney Ray Tierney, County Executive Ed Romaine and President Donald Trump.

Smith also thanked his predecessor for his decades of service in the party organization. William Garbarino, a private attorney in Sayville, wasn’t immediately available for comment. Smith hailed the “incredible team” he’s coming in with, including Kuhn, Christopher Cacoperdo as secretary, and Thomas D. Luciano as treasurer.

Another element of GOP ferment has involved Islip Town Supervisor Angie Carpenter, who under term limits must leave office at the end of 2027. She has been drawing static on several votes and issues from the Republican majority on the town board. Smith told The Point that a prime goal of his will be to make sure that Carpenter’s last two years in office will be as successful as the previous 10.

Perhaps pointedly, the committee said in a statement posted on social media: “The new executive board reflects a strategic shift towards making the party younger, modernizing operations, growing the local Republican Party, and preparing for the challenges of a rapidly changing political landscape.”

— Dan Janison dan.janison@newsday.com

Pencil Point

An ugly prospect

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Quick Points

News splash!

• Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman jumped into the ocean for a swim during a Nickerson Beach news conference Monday to demonstrate the water is safe after a suspected shark bite last week at Jones Beach. Maybe Blakeman, 69, will consider trying out for Baywatch-AARP edition.
• Suffolk County police in June arrested three people for promoting an illegal fight on social media. Guess they never learned the first rule of Fight Club.
• President Donald Trump visited Florida Tuesday to see firsthand the so-called “Alligator Alcatraz” immigrant detention center surrounded by the daunting Everglades festooned with gators and snakes. The irony of people from other countries being “guarded” by pythons, which are not native to the U.S., was missed.
• Anna Wintour, Vogue editor-in-chief who owns a 42-acre estate on the Forge River in Mastic Beach, announced she was stepping down from the post last week. The legendary editor, 75, can now enjoy becoming another Long Island retiree in a house with too much space.
• White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said earlier this week that The Washington Post is “helping people commit felonies by publishing out-of-context leaks” about the Iran nuclear site strikes. Does that mean Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and others should be prosecuted for Signalgate?

— Mark Nolan mark.nolan@newsday.com

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