Thompson Ends Senate Race, and
Democrats Hope of Majority in State Senate

   Current Democratic Senator Antoine M. Thompson officially conceded today to his Democrat turned Republican opponent Mark Grisanti. This now means that the Republicans have a 31 to 29 lead on Democrats in the State Senate with two seats left to finish recounting. It looks like the best case scenario for Democrats would be a 31-31 tie. In that case the tie breaking vote would come from newly elected Lieutenant Governor Robert Duffy.

   In the Westchester race incumbent Suzy Oppenheimer should be able to stay ahead of her Republican opponent, while on Long Island incumbent Senator Craig Johnson trail Republican Jack Martins. Democratic hopes are that even if when all the votes are counted, that a recount of the paper ballots will give the win to Johnson. The hope could be that if voters filled in more than one circle on their ballot that there was a foul up in the machine as to alter the actual voter count, thus a full ballot hand recount would give Democrat Johnson the win.