Residents of Lynbrook, East Rockaway react to Donald Trump's presidential win

With one of the most polarizing elections in our nation’s history reaching its conclusion, the United States has a new President-elect in Donald Trump. The Republican representative defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton 290 Electoral College votes to 228 in the Nov. 8 election. For residents of East Rockaway and Lynbrook, the result has been met with mixed reviews.

“I’m not happy, but let’s give him a chance,” said Geri Didomencio, 67, of Lynbrook. "He’s a bigot, a racist, disrespectful. He’s a lot of things, but I’ll give him a chance.”

Ronald DiRienzo, 67, a retired New York City housing authority representative who resides in East Rockaway, offered a different perspective. “I didn’t think he had a chance,” DiRienzo said. “I thought [Hillary] was gonna win, but I was surprised that [Trump] finally pulled it out. We needed a change in the country. We have to give him a chance and see how he does.”

Many residents expressed shock over Trump, who has never been an elected official, defeating his counterpart to earn the most important job in the country. This surprise comes after most polls had predicted Clinton to emerge victorious. Against all odds, Trump, 70, is set to become the 45th president of the United States.

In many respects, the 2016 presidential election has divided the country and evoked a range of emotions. Those emotions are felt locally as well. Some residents are outraged over the fact that an entrepreneur and television personality is set to run the country, while others believe it’s time to put someone with new ideas in the White House to change the status quo. Still, some believe the election went beyond political parties.

“I really don’t think it’s about Trump to me,” said Jason Maceda, 40, of Lynbrook, who is a registered Independent. “I think it’s really about a lot of people in the country who are really fed up with these two parties and the way they typically do business. I think that’s why you saw Trump’s resiliency. He said some things that are off the wall and everybody jumped on him, but I think people stayed with him because they’ve had it with the typical politicians who don’t give you answers on anything. I think that’s why he’s been popular.”

Rebecca Blue, 46, who resides in East Rockaway and owns Rounds Elite Fitness in Oceanside, echoed the sentiment that change was needed. “I wasn’t a fan of either party,” she said, “but maybe there will be some hope, maybe there will be some change. I don’t know. I’m optimistic. I don’t really have a problem with him being president.”

David Kaye, 34, a Lynbrook resident who works in advertising in Manhattan, said that as a Democrat, he was upset with the outcome, but it’s too soon to tell what kind of president Trump will be. “I’m not pleased,” Kaye said, “because I don’t support some of his major policies, social policies in particular, and I don’t respect his character. We’ll hope for the best.”

Part of the reason Trump’s character has come under fire is because of his actions and gestures toward foreigners and women, which have led to many citizens questioning him.

Maria DiCosimo, 50, of Lynbrook, offered another perspective on the president-elect, saying some of his past actions don’t represent who he truly is in his day-to-day life. “I’m positive toward him winning,” she said. “I do think that he believes in the American people. I know people that have worked for him and they absolutely love him across the board. So, that gave me a little perspective on him as a person, and I think it swayed me a bit.”

Whether Americans — including those who reside in East Rockaway and Lynbrook — are pleasantly surprised, downright disgusted or somewhere in between over the outcome, Trump has emerged as the president and, barring anything unexpected, will hold that office for at least the next four years. As for what Americans can expect in Trump’s first term, Darlene Passaretti, 50, of Lynbrook, likened it to a car accident.

“You know when you’re about to crash and they tell you to put your head between your knees and hang on?” she said. “Basically America can expect that.”