N.Y. Dems on a roll
New win brings them closer to hammer lock in Albany
ALBANY For the second day in a row, New York Democrats celebrated a major win as absentee ballots boosted their chances of a potential super-majority in the state Legislature.
Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D-Yonkers) congratulated fellow Dem Elijah Reichlin-Melnick as he outpaced his Republican opponent in a race to represent parts of Rockland and Westchester counties.
“Sen.-elect Reichlin-Melnick is part of an exciting new generation of leaders in the Senate Democratic majority who will help move New York forward,” Stewart-Cousins said in a statement.
Reichlin-Melnick’s win came after Republican Bill Weber had a more than 3,000-vote lead on Election Day. But the massive use of mail-in ballots amid the coronavirus crisis helped him and other Dems overcome deficits from in-person results.
A dozen tight legislative races have yet to be determined as absentee ballots are tallied, but Democrats are hopeful that they can increase their majority in Albany a day after Sen. Kevin
Thomas (D-Nassau) defeated a Republican challenger and other vulnerable Democrats are likely to emerge victorious.
Dem leaders held a celebratory press conference on Long Island on Tuesday, touting
Thomas’ win and voicing hope that the trend continues as votes are counted in the coming days and weeks.
“We knew this red mirage would turn out to be a blue ocean,” State Democratic Party Chairman Jay Jacobs said.
Thomas faced a tough reelection bid as Republicans and the city Police Benevolent Association targeted him and other suburban Dems over bail and other criminal justice reforms.
The city Board of Elections is still counting ballots, but Sen. Andrew Gounardes (D-Brooklyn) has already gained several thousand votes and appears likely to retain his seat despite a close race with Republican Vito Bruno.
It remains to be seen if Democrats, who currently have a 40-member majority in the Senate, can add the three seats needed for a veto-proof super-majority.
In the Assembly, Republican Michael Lawler declared victory Tuesday over incumbent Ellen
Jaffee (D-Rockland), flipping a blue seat red.
Several upstate and suburban races have yet to be called as counting was stalled due to a coronavirus outbreak in Onondaga County and a legal challenge slowed the process in Westchester County.
Republican Rob Astorino, a former county executive and GOP gubernatorial candidate, held a sizable 8,000-vote lead over first-term Sen. Pete Harckham (D-Westchester) on Election Day. But, like his fellow Dems, Harckham has made up ground and the race is too close to call.
Reichlin-Melnick, a staffer for Sen. James Skoufis (D-Rockland), will join the Senate in January after defeating Weber in a race for a seat left open by outgoing Sen. David Carlucci, a Democrat who mounted a failed congressional bid.
“We have a lot of work to do, and I look forward to going to Albany to fight for the middle class and working people of our district,” Reichlin-Melnick said.