Here's another great little coattail story from tonight's election: Democrat Brian Foley has defeated Cesar Trunzo in Suffolk County, and the New York State Senate is now under Democratic control for the first time in 40 YEARS!!.
Suffolk County hadn't sent a Democrat to the state senate since 1902.
The margin is 58 to 41 with 96 percent of the votes counted.
It's unbelievable. This was one of the seemingly unshakable State institutions, and one of the reasons that our legislature has been so incredibly dysfunctional.
New York State hasn't had a Democratic governor and legislature since 1935 either.
It was about time. Trunzo was 82, and had been there for 36 years. His district, like all of Long Island, was becoming more Democratic, so this was only a matter of time. But you'd better believe that the Obama candidacy helped push this over the edge right now.
The State Democratic party had also had spent lots of money to help Foley.
Heh heh, now all those beleaguered Senate minority staffers can get some decent offices and pay.
And maybe now we can break the sickening level of gridlock on the State level.
Here's his statement, which was in Check out this article in Newsday (which is where I got the other information from as well).
"We'll do something different and end the gridlock in Albany," Foley said. "What a great victory we had tonight for all of us who believe in good government. We will bring a whole new vigor . . . when we go to Albany in January."
Folks, this is another truly remarkable development.