Democrats Seek Unity with Breakaway Pols to Give the Party Control of New York State Senate

 

By Kenneth Lovett

ALBANY — With the Democratic Party on Tuesday night having again claimed a majority of the state Senate, national Dems are urging warring factions to reconcile to give the party actual control of the chamber.

Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison, who is also the Democratic National Committee deputy chairman, and other national progressive leaders called for the mainline state Senate Democrats and nine breakaway Dems aligned with the GOP to unify.

Democrat Brian Benjamin won a special election Tuesday night for a Harlem state Senate seat that gives the party a numerical majority of 32 members in the 63-seat chamber.

"Americans are seeing threats to their health care, fair wages and access to the ballot box," Ellison said. "If this assault is going to be stopped, then Democrats must come together and fight for working people together. That's why I am willing to do whatever might be helpful to bring together a Democratic majority in the New York State Senate.”

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Source: The New York Daily News (via The Empire Report)