DYKER HEIGHTS — They were riding the crest of a red wave at the Kings County Conservative Party’s (KCCP) Fall Reception Wednesday evening, Oct. 30, at Sirico’s.

With Election Day only days away, the push to vote Republican was anything but subtle as New York Conservatives urged the audience to keep it red at every level of the election, with an emphasis on voting for presidential nominee Donald Trump. 

The fall reception is designed to be a meet and greet with people that will be running for office this election year, including city council candidates and other elected officials, according to Fran Vella-Marrone, KCCP chair.

The reception had quite a number of elected officials and Conservative Party members in attendance, including Jerry Kassar, chair of New York State Conservative Party; Richie Barsamian, chair of the KCRP; Congressmember Nicole Malliotakis (R-11); Assemblymember Lester Chang (R-49); Councilmember Inna Vernikov (R-48); Councilmember David Carr (R-50); and former State Sen. Marty Golden, along with a plethora of Republican candidates. 

The night also celebrated two noteworthy honorees:  Hon. John Ingram, who won the Jim Gay Award, and Hedy Sigismondi, recipient of the Alice E. Gaffney Memorial Award. 

“My message to Americans is simple and straightforward: get out and vote, and vote early,” Vella-Marrone told the Brooklyn Eagle. “People have fought and died for that right. Do not give it up.”

Vella-Marrone pointed out that she is feeling very good about things for Nov. 5. 

“I think we will have a great year. I believe Trump will do fantastic. He will win and surprise a lot of people in New York. Locally, I think we are going to hold on to what we have and pick up a bit more momentum as well. The sky’s the limit for us politically.”

Vella-Marrone noted that there are more elected officials along the Brooklyn Conservative party line now since 1974, “and after this election, we will have more than we’ve ever had in history in Brooklyn,” she said.    

Malliotakis said that in less than a week, the future of this country will be decided. 

“I feel very good about our chances to take the House of Representatives, flip the U.S. Senate to fire Chuck Schumer and win the presidency, restoring Donald Trump as the 47th president of the United States,” Malliotakis explained.  

She also said that there are a number of incumbents that are in very tough races but believes they will ultimately come out victorious. 

“People like Lester Chang and Alec Brook-Krasny — we need to make sure that these people get elected. We need more fighters to stand up against the radical left agenda,” Malliotakis said. 

Kassar predicted that Trump will win next week.“I think that is a feeling that is shared by many,” he said. “I also believe that we will make significant gains in the New York State legislature and hold the House seats in New York.”   

Chang, the first and only Chinese Republican in the state of New York, said he feels optimistic that the Conservative Party and Trump will help the country stay on the right course. Chang also referred to New York as a battleground state and noted that people’s political perspectives are indeed changing.

“There is no doubt that my district — Dyker Heights, Bensonhurst, Sunset Park and other surrounding areas — is turning red,” he explained. “People are frustrated being blue. They really want a change.”