Twenty years in power, countless elections, and a political landscape transformed. Gordon Herr reflects on his leadership of Southampton Democrats, the political influence he helped build, the challenges that remain, and why he finally decided it was time to put family first.
Twenty years! Think about how much can change in politics over two decades. Politicians come and go, alliances shift, elections are won and lost, and leadership changes hands. Through it all, Gordon Herr remained at the helm of the Southampton Town Democratic Committee, helping transform Southampton Democrats from a party struggling to win elections into the dominant political force in town government.
I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Gordon Herr to talk about those 20 years in power, and I had plenty of questions. How do you build that kind of political influence? What does it take to hold on to a leadership position for two decades? Most importantly, after working so hard to build a successful political organization, what makes you finally decide it’s time to walk away?
Our conversation went well beyond politics and election victories. We talked about affordable housing, the challenges Southampton still faces, the personal sacrifices that come with leadership, and the relationships he’s built along the way. What interested me most was learning what finally convinced Herr to pass the torch. After 20 years of putting politics on his calendar, he was ready to make room for something that mattered even more: his family.
“I Didn’t Think It Would Be 20 Years”
Herr’s political journey began nearly 20 years ago when he moved from New York City in 2006 to the Hamptons while going through a divorce. His original plan was to escape city life for a year or two. Two weeks after arriving, he attended an event featuring then-Congressman Tim Bishop. Herr approached him and asked how to become involved with the Democratic Party. That introduction changed his life.
When Herr eventually became Chairman, he imagined volunteering a few hours each week. The position quickly became far more demanding. “It’s a volunteer position. It’s a full-time job, 24 hours a day basically, which I don’t get paid for,” he explained.
Despite the demanding schedule, Herr believes the experience gave him more than he contributed, particularly through relationships with people from different backgrounds and political perspectives.
Gordon Herr “Success Brings Success”
When Gordon Herr took the reins of the Southampton Town Democratic Committee, Republicans held the political advantage, with approximately 11,000 registered voters compared to just 8,000 Democrats. Two decades later, that landscape looks dramatically different. According to Herr, Democrats now outnumber Republicans by nearly 4,000 registered voters and hold a supermajority on the Southampton Town Board.
That transformation didn’t happen overnight. Herr credits a combination of recruiting qualified candidates, expanding voter registration efforts, particularly among second homeowners, and building momentum with each election victory. One moment that stands out came around 2011, when the committee placed a bold, full-page advertisement in The Southampton Press declaring, “You don’t have to be afraid to be a Democrat in Southampton.”
For Herr, that advertisement represented a turning point. The Democratic Party was no longer struggling to gain a foothold in Southampton politics. It was becoming the town’s dominant political force.
With that political success comes greater responsibility and an important question: When one party holds so much power, who holds its elected officials accountable? Herr maintains that winning an election is only the beginning. Regardless of which party puts someone in office, their responsibility extends to every resident, not just those who voted for them.
“Once you’re in office, your focus should be on improving the lives of everyone in town.”
“Something Has to Be Done”
Political victories are impressive, but what do they mean when residents continue struggling with the same challenges? Affordable housing remains one of Southampton’s most pressing issues, with working families, young adults, and longtime residents increasingly priced out of the communities they call home. I asked Herr why more progress hasn’t been made despite years of Democratic leadership.
“Housing and traffic are connected,” he explained, acknowledging that workers who cannot afford to live near their jobs are forced to commute from farther west, contributing to the East End’s growing traffic congestion and quality-of-life concerns.
Herr pointed to initiatives such as the Community Housing Fund and expanded assistance for first-time homebuyers as steps in the right direction, while acknowledging that a comprehensive solution remains out of reach. “I just know that there has to be something. Something has to be done.”
His response leaves an important question unanswered: After years of political leadership, how much longer must residents wait for housing solutions that allow them to live and work in the communities they help sustain?
“I Wanted to See My Children” Gordon Herr
After 20 years in politics, you might assume Gordon Herr’s decision to step down had something to do with political pressure, frustration, or simply being ready for a change. His reason was much more personal. He wanted more time with his children.
With his son living overseas and his daughter outside the New York area, spending time together wasn’t always easy. Every invitation to visit seemed to fall during petition season, an election campaign, or another political commitment. After years of arranging his personal life around politics, Herr realized he wanted the freedom to see his family whenever the opportunity arose, without checking his political calendar first.
Herr made that decision in August 2025 but chose to finish his term before making his departure official. Following the committee’s organizational meeting, John Avlon took over as Chairman, bringing Herr’s 20-year tenure to a close and giving him something he hadn’t enjoyed in years: more control over his own time.
“I’m Not Stepping Away”
After 20 years at the helm, don’t expect Gordon Herr to walk away from politics completely. He’s giving up the title and the daily responsibilities, not the relationships, experience, or commitment that have been such a big part of his life. He still wants to help Democratic candidates and organizations throughout Southampton, East Hampton, and other parts of Suffolk County, only now he’d prefer to do it without having his entire life revolve around an election calendar.
Of course, I couldn’t help wondering how someone who has spent two decades calling the shots adjusts to letting someone else take the lead. Will he really be able to sit back and watch? Herr seems confident that the organization he helped build is ready for its next chapter, and he’s looking forward to contributing in a different role.
Twenty years is a long time to hold political power, and Herr certainly has plenty of victories to look back on. Southampton, however, still has some serious challenges ahead. Housing remains out of reach for too many working families, traffic continues to affect quality of life, and residents want to see progress on issues that affect their everyday lives.
As our conversation came to an end, I kept coming back to one thought. Gordon Herr helped build a political organization capable of winning elections, but winning elections and improving people’s lives aren’t necessarily the same thing. The real measure of those 20 years may not be how much political power Democrats gained, but what that power ultimately delivers for the people who call Southampton home.
Real Talk. Real People. Real Communities.
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