Dems retain large majority in state Senate

It may not be super, but the Senate Democrats are going to have a sizable majority in 2023.

Early Wednesday morning, Democrats were leading in 41 seats, based on public vote tallies and information from the Senate Democrats, who reported that incumbent Democrat Pete Harckham was winning his Hudson Valley seat (despite information to the contrary on the state Board of Elections website).

The size of the majority could be fluid, though, as Democrat I Wen Chu’s lead in an open New York City seat was extremely narrow and incumbent Democrat John Mannion is hoping to make up a narrow margin in his central New York district.

Around 2 a.m., Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, a Westchester County Democrat, said in a statement that she looked forward to the work ahead.

“The voters of New York have spoken, electing another strong Democratic Majority in the State Senate. In these unprecedented times in our country, the people know that the Senate Democrats have and will continue to deliver meaningful results. Tonight we have elected 40 Democrats with additional races still to be determined, one of which our candidate is leading and another subject to an automatic recount,” Stewart Cousins said.

Based on available data at 1:30 am on Wednesday, it appeared Republicans had picked up three Long Island seats, now control two seats in the Hudson Valley (up from one) and may be knocking off Mannion in the Syracuse area. But Democrats offset these losses with a likely victory in an open Southern Tier seat and two new New York City districts (one of which is too close to call).

The incumbents that appear to have lost their seats, or are losing, include Democrats Elijah Reichlin-Melnick (Rockland County), John Brooks (Long Island), Anna Kaplan (Long Island) and Mannion and Republican Sue Serino (Hudson Valley) and Ed Rath (Erie County).