Update: Battle for Control of New York State Senate
It's time to check in again on control of the New York State Senate, which remains in flux. For a full explainer on the situation in the Empire State, check out Steve Shepard's Nov. 15 post here.
The loyalties of four Democrats are still in question and two races remain uncalled -- and it's possible we'll find out the outcome of those unresolved races today.
Democrats currently hold 30 seats in the 63-member body (though that includes that four members whose loyalties are in question) while Republicans control 31. Democrats lead in one of the still-uncalled races, Republicans lead in the other. Ballot counting resumes today, and we could potentially learn the outcome as soon as the end of the day. The Associated Press:
The seesawing leads continue in the 46th Senate District, where Democrat Cecilia Tkaczyk trails by about 700 votes with more than 3,000 votes yet to be counted in her Ulster County stronghold. Republican George Amedore took the lead in earlier counting of absentee ballots and paper ballots questioned at the polls after being behind on election night.
...
In the 41st Senate District, Democratic challenger Terry Gipson held a steady lead over Republican Sen. Stephen Saland in the Hudson Valley with few votes left to be counted Monday.
Democrats cannot win the majority without winning both recounts, as well as holding all four on-the-fence members. Republicans, with 31 solid (non-wavering) members now, will claim the majority if they win just one of the recounts or pick of one of the four (we should mention that one of those Republicans, Simcha Felder, actually won as a Democrat but shortly after the election announced he would caucus with the GOP).
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