Free Republic

More than two months after the voters cast their ballots in the race to replace Carl Kruger in the State Senate has finally come to a close. The Republican candidate, David Storobin, has won. “All the votes are in, disputed and otherwise. The count is fully over. David Storobin won by 16 votes,” Mr. Storobin’s campaign wrote on his Facebook page. ” The election will be officially certified on Tuesday at 1:30 pm, but there will be NO MORE counting. David Storobin is the new Senator!” And, in a lengthy statement sent out by the Democrat in the race, Lew...

Pedro Espada Jr. will hold the title of Senate majority leader. (Photo: Rob Bennett for The New York Times) Even as some State Senate Democrats privately questioned a power-sharing deal struck by their leader, Malcolm A. Smith, the three former dissidents who brokered the deal are making clear that they expect him to stand by it. Under the deal, when Pedro Espada Jr., a former state senator and city councilman, returns to the Senate in January, he will hold the title of Democratic majority leader and Mr. Smith will be named president pro tempore. The two positions have traditionally been...