[rmlew]

Two factors
1. Immigration. Nassau county is no longer Blue collar whites and Country Club republicans.
2. The shift of Wealthy suburbs to the Democrats as sociali issue trump economic ones.

[Torie]

That sums it up nicely, except that Bush suffered a hemmorage among lower middle class and blue collar whites as well there. I don't think NY likes a Texas accent very much, and perceived that Bush was a dumbo, and New Yorkers like to elect high profile politicians that they think have the smarts all things being equal.