After a historic November Election Day, the White House wasn’t the only house in the nation to experience a political shake up.
Here in New York, the state Senate netted a Democratic majority for the first time since 1964 and a first Democratic trio of governor, Assembly and Senate since the Great Depression.
It hasn’t happened since a blip in 1965 and in the 1930s, so there’s not much precedence set, said state Sen. Neil Breslin, a Democrat representing Albany County. `I’ve been studying the session in ’65 and the legislature in the ’30s in order to prepare myself a little bit.`
Breslin, who first won his Senate seat in 1997, will be a part of the new Democratic majority after a 10-year career in the minority. The current senate minority leader is Malcolm Smith, a Queens Democrat who took over the post after current Gov. David Paterson left the Senate.
Paterson left to run as lieutenant governor with former Gov. Eliot Spitzer, who in turn resigned amid a prostitution scandal.
There have been rumors that some Democrats from New York City would not support Smith or their own party for majority of the senate.
City Councilman Hiram Monserrate, a Democrat from Smith’s Queens district, is a senator-elect after winning his seat on Nov. 4 and was rumored to be considering voting against Smith’s bid for majority leader in the Senate. Monserrate has since confirmed he will support Smith.
However, that leaves three other Democrats, state Senators Carl Kruger and Ruben Diaz Sr., and Senator-elect Pedro Espada who may not side with their fellow party members. The three issued a statement indicating they might seek to keep the GOP in power.
Breslin called them `the three amigos,` but said he is confident Democrats will ultimately control the Senate.
`The three amigos will come to their senses and realize that they’re Democrats,` he said.
If that happens, it means a big change in Albany and beyond.
Kyle Kotary, who runs a public relations firm called Empire Public Affairs, is familiar with the politics of the state Legislature, having worked with the previous minority in the Senate, as well as through his own political career. Kotary is a Democrat and a Bethlehem town councilman.
`For Democrats in New York, there is no longer an equal adversary, there are no more partisan excuses,` Kotary said. `The buck really does stop with the Democrats.`
Democrats will control New York’s government for the first time since the Great Depression and Kotary said there will be pressure on his party to get things done. He warned against the pitfalls of a one-party rule, but said he thinks Democrats will ultimately work together and fix New York’s problems.
`The challenge is going to be to see if what was once external inter-party fights won’t become internal intra-party fighting,` he said. `If they succumb to the temptation of one-party rule that’s a recipe for disaster.`
Borrowing from the victory speech of President-elect Barack Obama, Kotary said Democrats will be representing everyone in the state, even those who voted against them and are now responsible for representing ‘both sides of the aisle.`
The new majority will translate into an estimated 200 to 500 jobs at the capitol changing hands and will propel some tenured senators, such as Breslin, into more powerful positions.
With the power of the state government resting in the hands of Downstate representatives, such as Paterson from Harlem, Smith from Queens, and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver from Manhattan, Kotary said Upstate residents will be watching the new majority.
`One of the things Upstaters will looking at is which Upstate senators will be put in the big committees,` said Kotary.
Breslin said he is confident Smith will include Upstate representatives.
`I’ve been very impressed with Sen. Smith’s commitment to not putting one part of the state above another,` Breslin said. `The Upstate economy really needs help, and Sen. Smith is aware of that.`
Breslin is a ranking member on the insurance committee, which he said could translate into a chairmanship in January. He is also a member on other committees such as finance, agriculture and labor.
Being in the majority can only help his district, he said.
`It can only enhance what I can do within my district as a Democrat in the new majority,` Breslin said. `I will have access to greater funding, which will only help my district.`
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