47. John Jay LaValle

Don’t call it a comeback—he’s been here for years. Despite his youthful looks and high-octane personality, John Jay LaValle has been a fixture in Suffolk County politics for two decades. With his signature smile and bare-knuckle management style, LaValle is the formidable chairman of the Suffolk County GOP and a former Brookhaven Town Councilman and Supervisor. He’s crafted a standout career in political circles with an impressive winning streak in recent years, taking back several local and state seats, as well as the first congressional district. In the presidential election, when most GOP leaders were either running for the hills, or, at a minimum, distancing themselves from the national slate, LaValle bet long on Donald Trump. True to his outspoken demeanor, he supported now-President Trump loudly and effectively from the early days of the campaign, becoming a stalwart on national television in support of his candidate. A few months later, Chairman LaValle would see the fruits of his prescient labor firsthand, with an early ride up the famed Trump Tower elevator during the presidential transition. Suffolk County Republicans know they’ve got a leader who shares their values and strives tirelessly to maximize their legislative implementation and reach.