Most political observers agree that the new alliance was the key factor in former Nassau police union leader Michael Caracciolo's upset win Tuesday over Presiding Officer Gregory Blass (R-Jamesport). The coalition raised an estimated $70,000 - an apparent record - for his GOP primary bid and pulled out votes with a massive door-to-door and phone campaign. And the coalition donated an estimated $20,000 to $30,000 that helped tip the scale toward Commack attorney Susan LeBow, the party-backed Democrat who toppled anti-nuclear activist Legis. Wayne Prospect (D-Dix Hills).

By the spring, the group had formulated a "hit list" for defeat, and the two lawmakers topping the list were Blass and Prospect. On June 15, a day after they released the list, business leaders including [James Larocca], [Jack Kulka] and developer Mark Broxmeyer met for lunch at Sempre Vivolo restaurant in Hauppauge to discuss potential candidates to oppose Blass. While LeBow's primary challenge was largely the brainchild of Suffolk Democratic leader Dominic Baranello, the business group actively recruited Caracciolo and encouraged him to run.

The support was largely financial. Caracciolo's record-breaking war chest included $1,000 contributions from developers such as Kulka, Broxmeyer, Wilbur Breslin, John Racanelli, and Donald Rechler, a number of unions, including Teamsters Local 282, several highway contractors, and businesses such as Friendly Carting and Kolin Plumbing. The business contributions to the LeBow campaign were apparently smaller, although the LIA's political action committee gave $1,000 to her campaign and another $8,069 - the maximum allowable under law - to the Democratic Party on her behalf.