Huntington: Anti-Housing Primary Challenge Becomes Republican Civil War

"Remember when Long Island Republicans rejected Gov. Kathy Hochul’s housing plan, arguing that local officials should be trusted to allow the development that communities need? Huntington Supervisor Ed Smyth is living up to that promise. Huntington Council member Brooke Lupinacci is breaking it," reported The Real Deal. 

"Smyth supports a transit-oriented apartment project in Melville. Lupinacci opposes it — and is running against Smyth to take his job. Why should anyone care about a race in Huntington... Because the election result will likely influence whether other Long Island politicians embrace or reject development."

"Town of Hempstead leaders, for example, approved town-center development by the LIRR station in Lawrence, then rescinded it when locals stormed the castle with torches and pitchforks. (Heatherwood, the developer whose $154 million project was sabotaged by the reversal, is suing.) The politician who led that flip-flop, Bruce Blakeman, was then elected Nassau County Executive. If Huntington voters similarly reward Lupinacci’s short-sighted pandering, Long Island will surely see more of it."