TIM GANNON FILE PHOTO | Suffolk Republican leaders have chosen their nominee for the 1st District seat in the County Legislature, and the last man to hold the post indicated Monday that Riverhead Town Supervisor Sean Walter could be the choice.

Suffolk Republican leaders have chosen their nominee for the 1st District seat in the County Legislature, and the last man to hold the post indicated Monday that Riverhead Town Supervisor Sean Walter could be the choice.

Speaking after his inauguration as Brookhaven Town Supervisor, Ed Romaine said Monday that he’s hearing party officials are giving “serious consideration” to Mr. Walter, who emerged last week as a finalist for the job. Riverhead Councilmembers John Dunleavy and Jodi Giglio, and Romaine aide Bill Faulk, are the other three finalists.

Suffolk County Republican Chairman John Jay LaValle confirmed Monday that a nominee has been selected by the Republican Committee and that a press release will be issued Tuesday morning, but he declined to name which of the four finalists would get the job.

“We’ve made our decision,” Mr. LaValle said Monday afternoon. “I just can’t say who it is yet.”

Mr. Walter, Ms. Giglio and Mr. Faulk all said Monday that they had not yet heard from party officials.

Democrats have already chosen Southold Councilman Al Krupski as their nominee.

Mr. Romaine said whoever the nominee is, they’ll have a challenge going up against Mr. Krupski in just a six-week election cycle.

“I know [Mr. Krupski] and he’ll put up a good fight,” Mr. Romaine said.

Mr. Romaine confirmed that the election will likely be held Jan. 15, a date he said will be voted on at the County Legislature’s meeting next Tuesday. By law, the election must be held within 90 days of the previous Legislator leaving office.

With the Democrats having already announced their candidate, he said the Democratic majority in the Legislature would prefer to schedule the election for as early as possible.

“They’re not going to schedule it for Feb. 9,” Mr. Romaine said.

Of the four finalists for Legislature, only Ms. Giglio was absent from Mr. Romaine’s inauguration at a packed Brookhaven Town Hall Monday afternoon. Mr. Walter, who has been locked in a public battle with Ms. Giglio that has escalated in recent weeks, attended the inauguration with his political adviser, Anthony Coates, who has already announced his intention to unseat Ms. Giglio next November.

gparpan@timesreview.com