By Hank Russell
Republican Rick Martel has won a special election for Southampton Town Council on March 18, besting his Democratic opponent, John Leonard. Martel will assume the council seat vacated by Tommy John Schiavoni, who was elected to the state Assembly last year.
Martel, running on the Republican and Conservative lines, garnered 3,092 votes, or 52.90% of the vote, according to results from the Suffolk County Board of Elections. Leonard, who was also running on the Working Families line, received 2,738 votes, or 46.84% of the vote.
According to his campaign website, Martel is the owner of Skidmores Sports. A Hampton Bays resident, he is a 42-year member of the Southampton Town Kiwanis, president of the Hampton Bays Little League and Hampton Bays Youth Sports and board member of the San Gennaro Feast of the Hamptons. He also served for one term as town councilman before narrowly losing his reelection bid in 2023.
Among the endorsements he received were from the Southampton Town PBA. the PBA New York State Troopers, U.S. Congressman Nick LaLota (R-Rocky Point), Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine and former Southampton Town Councilwoman Julie Lofstad, a Democrat.
“I’m happy to be back and be able to serve the people of the Town of Southampton,” Martel said to 27east. “I hope to get a lot done in nine months, and I’m hoping to be able to put in nine months, plus four years, if we are lucky enough in November.”
Suffolk GOP Chairman Jesse Garcia called Martel’s victory “a sign that the Republican momentum of triumphs by County Executive Ed Romaine, District Attorney Ray Tierney and President Trump has reached all the way to the East End of Suffolk County. … Clearly, the Suffolk County Republican momentum has not slowed down, and today it rolled all the way to Southampton.”
Garcia added, “The significance of this Republican victory in an area dominated by Democrats really cannot be overstated. The Republican promise of building a safer, secure and more affordable Suffolk County resonates with every voter.”