Zeldin led Throne-Holst, 59 percent to 41 percent with 46 percent of precincts reporting. 

[Election Results 2016]

New York’s 1st District covers the eastern two-thirds of Suffolk County on Long Island and collects small fishing villages, oceanfront vacation towns and affluent suburbs.

Coming into Election Day, the race was rated Leans Republican by The Rothenberg & Gonzales Political Report/Roll Call.

In 2014, Zeldin unseated Democratic Rep. Timothy H. Bishop, who had previously held the seat for 12 years.

Democrats were initially optimistic about defeating the GOP congressman as he didn’t shy away from Donald Trump and called President Barack Obama a racist in a local media interview. But Trump was more popular in the 1st District than his national numbers and made it difficult for Democrats to win.

[Congressional Leadership Fund Hammers Democrats on National Security, Taxes]

As a first year representative, Zeldin serves on the Foreign Affairs, Transportation & Infrastructure the Veterans’ Affairs committees. 

He previously served in the New York Senate from 2011 until his election to the House. He also served as an Army captain in Iraq for three months in 2006 and cites his time in the army as shaping his views on defeating the Islamic State. 

Zeldin is a dependable GOP member, voting with the party majority 88 percent of the time in 2015. He is also the sole Republican Jewish member in the 114th Congress.