Walter to Face Off Against Krupski for Open 1st L.D. Seat

After three weeks of speculation folllowing Ed Romaine's win on Election Night to earn the Brookhaven Supervisor's seat, the sitting supervisor to the east, Sean Walter, earned the nod to take his place as the Republican nominee for the First Legislative District seat.

Walter will face off against The supervisor confirmed Tuesday morning that county officials asked him on Monday to run for the seat on Republican and Conservative party lines.

County Conservative Party Chairman Ed Walsh confirmed on Tuesday morning that Walter would run on the Conservative Party line. County Republican Chairman John Jay LaValle was not immediately available for comment, however Riverhead Republican Chair John Galla said a formal announcement about the party's nominee is expected later on Tuesday.

"He's definitely going to be our candidate," Walsh said of Walter, Riverhead Town's former Conservative Party chairman. "I think he's perfect for that northeast end of Long Island. With economy and jobs being priority number one, I think his executive experience will help a lot."

Walter touted his experience as Riverhead's supervisor as well, as opposed to "someone who just sits as a town board member. Being the CEO of a town, as much as anyone really can be, is a different task."

Krupski, a former Trustee who runs Krupski's Pumpkin and Vegetable Farm in Cutchogue and has been on the Southold Town Board since 2005, was named as County Democrat Chairman Rich Schaffer's candidate of choice on Election Night.

Independence Party Chairman Frank MacKay said that his party would be screening Walter, Krupski and "any other serious candidates" for the party's nomination shortly, though did not know exactly when.

Walter originally expressed disinterest in the race, telling Patch in mid-November that he would rather stay at the post he earned in 2009 and complete his efforts at Enterprise Park at Calverton.

Though a scuffle at Howell Avenue changed his mind, he said, after a majority of town board members brought a resolution off the floor recently to fire at-will Town Board Coordinator Linda Hulse. Walter, who reportedly went as far as to call the trio cowards, called the move representative of a "shadow government."

The Riverhead supervisor ended up topping a field of eight GOP candidates who were seeking the seat. The following individuals also screened: Riverhead Councilwoman Jodi Giglio; Riverhead Councilman John Dunleavy; Bill Faulk, Chief Aide to Romaine; Catherine Stark, Chief Aide to Legislator Jay Schneiderman; Jim Saladino, former Riverhead Conservative Committee chairman; and Frank Seabrook, a ZBA member and publisher of the online New York Liberty Report. 

Krupski said in mid-November that the county's role in preserving the character of the area is one of the biggest reasons he's running for the seat.

“There are so many issues of land preservation and dredging and maintenance of our local waterways that is taken care of by the county,” he said. “I think it’s important to have that kind of balance of representation in the legislature.”

Correction: This story mistakenly reported earlier that a formal announcement of Walter's candidacy is expected later Tuesday. Details of the announcement were not revealed. We regret the error.