GOP supervisor-elect Sean Walter, a Wading River lawyer and former head of the town Conservative Party, led a ticket that swept the three other Town Board races as well.
Mr. Walter, 43, defeated Town Hall mainstay Phil Cardinale, a Democrat who served four years as a town councilman before taking office as supervisor in 2004. The supervisor-elect will preside over an all-Republican board following his being sworn into office in January. The town has not seen one-party rule since 2003, when the GOP also held each of the five Town Board seats.
Q: What were your feelings going into Republican campaign headquarters after the polls closed on Election Day?
A: Jubilation. I thought we were winning through the whole process. I knew the combination of residents not happy with what the president is doing with the health care system, the state of the economy, combined with [Phil Cardinale] having been in office for 10 years and them not seeing anything accomplished. Those three things really tied it together for me and were what made me realize we were going to win.
Q: What have you been doing over the last week?
A: I took my children over the weekend to the indoor water park -- Great Escape up in the Adirondacks -- and it was fantastic. Other than that, just trying to put staff in place, put the transition team in place, meeting with department heads.
Q: Is there any specific policy you championed on the campaign trail you would like to see enacted as soon as possible?
A: I think the thing that bothers me the most is the town taxes and the budget. I believe that we have to keep the taxes in line with the rate of inflation and I truly want to put a tax cap in, tied to the rate of inflation. But my number one priority is to get this budget to be a sound budget, which it isn't right now. (See related story)
Q: How will you be spending your time between now and the inauguration?
A: We're going to be just trying to coordinate the transition. I am not ready to announce who I want in my front office, but I think people are going to be very happy. We're going to put a very seasoned staff in and get them in place so when we start Jan. 1 or Jan. 2, it will be a seamless transition.
mwhite@timesreview.com