New York...Change!

by Ed Smith

New York Democrats have consolidated political control of New York state. Democratic candidates Joseph Addabbo in Queens and Brian Foley in Long Island beat their incumbent Republican opponents in races called late Tuesday evening. The wins will give Democrats at least a 31-29 edge in the Senate. Democrats already control the House and the governor's mansion. Democrats have not controlled New York state government since 1935.

"It's the longest example of a divided partisan legislature in the country," said Gerald Benjamin, a political science professor and director of the Center for Research, Regional Education and Outreach at the State University of New York, New Paltz. The shift, he added, comes because "the demographic wave is overwhelming and it's been held back by artful gerrymandering for decades. But the limit of that process is reached."

See "The NYS Senate Is Now Under Democratic Control" for Gov. Paterson's statement.

Comments

[Lurker]

I'm assuming by your #s and information that you're referring to the upper house, but shouldn't that be mentioned?

Thanx

[Meagan Dorsch]

We have added "in the Senate" for clarification in the blog posting. Thank you for the comment.