Jerry Halpin gets supervisor nomination from Riverhead Democrats
Riverhead Town Supervisor Jerry Halpin on Thursday received unanimous support from the Riverhead Town Democratic Committee to run for reelection in November — setting up a showdown against Republican Councilman Kenneth Rothwell.
Mr. Halpin, a political newcomer who narrowly defeated incumbent Tim Hubbard last November, was the only candidate considered at the nominating convention, committee chair Laura Jens-Smith told the Riverhead News-Review on Friday.
“We’re excited that he has decided to run again,” Ms. Jens-Smith said. “He’s been doing a great job since he’s been in office so far. We look forward to working very hard to get him elected again, so that he could serve the people of Riverhead.”
Mr. Halpin, co-founder and former lead pastor of North Shore Christian Church in Riverhead, did not return a request for comment.
His two-year supervisor term was cut short due to the state’s recent law changes for even-year elections. He began fundraising for a reelection campaign shortly after his surprise win.
Mr. Halpin ran last year citing the 7.89% tax increase in the 2025 town budget — the town’s largest since the state cap was enacted in 2012 — and its impact on fixed-income residents. He told the News-Review prior to his election that his approach to leadership centers on listening to constituents.
Ms. Jens-Smith said the supervisor has been making a “tremendous effort” on that front since beginning his term in January.
“He’s very much out in the community to see what’s going on, so that he’s making his decisions from not in a bubble, but from actually talking to all the residents that are part of Riverhead — his door is always open,” she said. “He’s following what he said in his campaign: He’s looking to keep a tight lid on spending, [making] sure that he is [welcome] to bringing in new tax dollars, and making sure that businesses, and small businesses, can thrive here in Riverhead, while maintaining our rural character and preserving open space.”
Mr. Rothwell received the unanimous nomination from the Riverhead Republican Committee on Feb. 4. He was first appointed to the Riverhead Town Board in 2021, filling the seat left vacant by Assemblywoman Jodi Giglio.
He won a full four-year term in Nov. 2021 and was reelected to the board last November. Mr. Rothwell is a licensed funeral director and has served as a volunteer firefighter with the Wading River Fire Department for over 20 years.
Any registered Republican or Democrat who lives in Riverhead can still challenge either candidate for the party nomination by collecting petition signatures to force a June primary election. Designating petitions can be circulated starting Feb. 24.
