Why is Long Island so Republican?

[Anonymous]

High property taxes make them hate taxes (although Trump's limit on SALT hurt them a lot)

There has been more immigration from Central America in the past decade or so with some well-publicized gang violence that has made some people very anti-immigration.

And like many other places I think there are a lot of people who don't like having to be "politically correct" and think it's funny or cool how Trump is rude but still got a wife they think is hot and gets to play golf all the time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s interesting about Suffolk County in particular? It’s pretty removed from the city. You could ask the same question about Orange or Putnam.

Because Long Island, as far as it is from the city, still associates heavily with the city. People have long commutes to work and are proud of their city connections.

I grew up in Suffolk County (although Dem rather than Republican), most people work in Suffolk/Nassau rather than the city, and many people don’t feel a particular connection to the city, let alone a pride in that. If anything, there’s a certain irritation among many people that we’re constantly lumped in with the city rather than recognized as a separate area with our own needs and interests.

I had a completely different experience. I grew up in Huntington, were you further out?

You are barely Suffolk County. I grew up in Centereach.

[Anonymous]

Like others, I grew up in Nassau County and needed to block old classmates who I connect with on social media.

General observations:
Suffolk is where real estate had always been more affordable (I am not talking vacation property). Friends who have more blue collar jobs typically moved there including a lot of police. There is an echo chamber of "Bill O'Reilly" type messages.
Friends who went to more "NYC" type jobs stayed in Nassau county.

Many who grow up there, stay there. Few chose to move there without family ties. You go away to a college at a state school and party for 4 years OR stay local at a community college.

Those who are curious about others, hearing different points of view - leave and typically do not go back.

[Anonymous]

Long Island is very insular and isolated. If you're in Suffolk county you're pretty far from the rest of America. NJ, Westchester, and CT do not have this reality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Middle class vs wealthy.

interesting that the wealthy would be Dems, a party that raises taxes on the wealthy, and middle class would be Rs, a party that lowers taxes for the wealthy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Like others, I grew up in Nassau County and needed to block old classmates who I connect with on social media.

General observations:
Suffolk is where real estate had always been more affordable (I am not talking vacation property). Friends who have more blue collar jobs typically moved there including a lot of police. There is an echo chamber of "Bill O'Reilly" type messages.
Friends who went to more "NYC" type jobs stayed in Nassau county.

Many who grow up there, stay there. Few chose to move there without family ties. You go away to a college at a state school and party for 4 years OR stay local at a community college.

Those who are curious about others, hearing different points of view - leave and typically do not go back.

+1 Dix Hills, Elwood, Commack the exact same...

[Anonymous]

Very Catholic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Long Island is very insular and isolated. If you're in Suffolk county you're pretty far from the rest of America. NJ, Westchester, and CT do not have this reality.

Suffolk, yes for sure. I grew up in Manhasset and would argue it is very connected to the city (the direct trains get you into Manhattan in a similar time as it would take you on the subway from many parts of the city itself) and not really insular or isolated from the country in any meaningful way.

[Anonymous]

I grew up on Long Island and wonder the same thing. I don’t remember it being that way when I grew up, but I come from a steadfastly democratic family and maybe I was just clueless.

I grew up in the south shore/five towns area and it’s become heavily orthodox over time- majorly pro trump and Republican. Previous generation was Jewish (I am Jewish) but we’re children of Great Depression and Holocaust survivors. Just leaned more democratic. It’s just changed dramatically over the past few decades.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Long Island is very insular and isolated. If you're in Suffolk county you're pretty far from the rest of America. NJ, Westchester, and CT do not have this reality.

Have you people been to Suffolk County ? The majority of Suffolk residents live in west Suffolk and commute to the city for work. They’re transplants or kids of transplants from Brooklyn and Queens. They voted for Trump because they know Biden is a corrupt politician. Street smart people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Long Island is very insular and isolated. If you're in Suffolk county you're pretty far from the rest of America. NJ, Westchester, and CT do not have this reality.

Have you people been to Suffolk County ? The majority of Suffolk residents live in west Suffolk and commute to the city for work. They’re transplants or kids of transplants from Brooklyn and Queens. They voted for Trump because they know Biden is a corrupt politician. Street smart people.

Oh. Right.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:General lack of intellect.

I'm from Long Island. This is spot on and I'm not happy admitting that.

The people I went to high school with really didn't leave. Some may have gone to college but they didn't exactly stretch themselves academically and they didn't travel. I think that's key. They have no concept of life off of LI.
You'd think people who are so close to NYC would be cultured and many are but the farther east you go, the less people seem to travel (Hamptons excluded of course)

The people I went to high school with in Suffolk County sound exactly the same as they did when we were teenagers. They travel to Florida or maybe South Carolina but that's it.

I'm somehow a freak because I worked hard, went to a very competitive college and grad school, traveled extensively, lived abroad and settled in DC after living other places in Europe, Africa and the US (even the South - it's worse than LI).

Nassau is much more progressive of course but you still have way to many Republicans and Trump supporters. ugh

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:74 million Americans voted for Trump and they have to live somewhere, I suppose.

Unlike most of you, I don't sneer at people or call them idiots. I can see the appeal of Trump or treating him as the lesser of two evils, and, no, they aren't worse or lesser people than you. Just different views.

My nassau school district tried to drop italian as a language and offer chinese instead. Wow. Uproar including leave commie bastard signs in yards.

[Anonymous]

Not just Catholic, but insular Catholic. Attending Catholic schools all through HS and local Catholic colleges, then returning to their LI neighborhood. Limited exposure to diversity of thought, not to mention people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Money. Whiteness.

Money? No.