Republicans Seize Control of State Senate (New York)

The New York Times ^ | June 8, 2009, 3:50 pm | Jeremy W. Peters AND Danny Hakim

[Syncro]

Republicans Seize Control of State Senate

By Jeremy W. Peters AND Danny Hakim

Rob Bennett for The New York Times; Suzanne DeChillo/The New York Times

Two state senators — Pedro Espada Jr. of the Bronx and Hiram Monserrate of Queens — moved to defect to the Republican side, which would end Democratic control of the chamber.

Updated, 6:20 p.m. | ALBANY – Republicans apparently seized control of the New York State Senate on Monday, in a stunning and sudden reversal of fortunes for the Democratic Party, which controlled the chamber for barely five months.

A raucous leadership fight erupted on the floor of the Senate around 3 p.m., with two Democrats, Pedro Espada Jr. of the Bronx and Hiram Monserrate of Queens, joining the 30 Senate Republicans in a motion that would displace Democrats as the party in control.

It was a noisy and acrimonious scene on the floor of the Senate as Senator Thomas W. Libous, a Republican from Binghamton and the party’s deputy leader, shouted for a roll-call vote, while Democrats attempted to stall the vote by asking to adjourn the session.

All 30 Republicans stood with their hands raised, signaling a vote for a change in leadership. Mr. Espada and Mr. Monserrate joined them, each raising his hand. Republicans won the vote by a 32-to-30 margin. The Senate will now be governed under a new joint leadership structure, with Mr. Espada serving as the president pro tempore, and Senator Dean G. Skelos, of Long Island, as the new majority leader.

[Syncro]

The rest can be read at This Link

[ronnie raygun]

APPLAUSE TO THESE FINE COURAGOUS GENTLEMEN.

[Syncro]

The democrats are whining and crying like little babies, and throwing fits!

[Tzimisce]

Is it really going to change anything in new York?

[NormsRevenge]

Seize Seize Seize! (/aRnie!)

We’d need a dozen Dems to switch in California to reach this kind of ‘change’. The problem is there aren’t a dozen with half a brain to begin with.

Here’s to hope-ing it’s not just another Bait’n’Switch ploy.

[Billthedrill]

Probably not, but it sure is fun to watch. :-)

[theDentist]

Harrr Re-Publeekins takes control...."

[wny]

NY is so effed-up, it doesn’t make a bit of difference

[Cicero]

Great news! Fantastic!

[ReformationFan]

Indeed. But are they actually conservatives or just liberal Republicans in the tradition of the late NY GOP governor Nelson Rockefeller?

[Freedom56v2]

Oh yeah, my heart jumped for joy!

[mass55th]

"Probably not, but it sure is fun to watch. :-)"

Yeah, it's always fun to see the Dems have a hissy fit.

[Syncro]

Yes, it is very good news.

The nay-sayers don't realize the tactic of death by a thousand cuts.

The first ones seem insignificant, but incrementalizm works for the leftists, it can work for us too.

Now all we need to do is turn Republicans into conservatives...

[Ouderkirk]

Is it really going to change anything in new York?

In the end probably not. These two guys are still downstate democrats. As long as Shelly Silver is Speaker and Patterson is governor, not much is going to change for the better. It may slow the decline a bit.

Upstate NY is a complete disaster area. Syracuse and Buffalo are abject crapholes, and are looking more like Beruit or Baghdad. Rochester is only a couple of steps behind them. Utica/Rome, Binghamton, Watertown, and Elimira are too far gone to be saved.

[CounterCounterCulture]

I delight in their misery. Their tears nourish me.

[Syncro]

Good point

See Post #13

[Fu-fu2]

Yesterday the EU, today New York....there IS hope!

[Syncro]

LOL, if nothing else it is great to see dems throw tantrums!

[ROCKLOBSTER]

Shhh!

If you listen carefully you can hear the NY-SENRATs soiling themselves.

[Billthedrill]

But are they actually conservatives or just liberal Republicans in the tradition of the late NY GOP governor Nelson Rockefeller?

Dunno - someone on another thread who apparently is familiar with these guys said they're pretty liberal, but hey, it's New York.

What amuses me is the whole "we captured it once, it's ours for life" attitude some of the younger Dems seem to have. The pros have seen it all before.