Control of NY Senate tipping Republicans' way

Republicans are now poised to regain control of the state Senate in January, which means some bipartisan teamwork will be needed to close a more than $9 billion budget deficit next year.

Power tipped to the GOP’s favor after a judge on Saturday rejected a hand count requested by Democratic incumbent Craig Johnson, who lost his Nassau County district seat to Republican Jack Martins by 451 votes in November.

Even though the election has been certified, Johnson said Sunday he will appeal the decision.

“I’d be the first to congratulate Jack Martins if I was certain that each of the 85,000-plus votes in this race were counted and counted accurately,” Johnson said on his campaign website.

The Republicans now appear to have 32 of the Senate’s 62 seats, recapturing the majority it lost in the 2008 election.

The Democrats will still retain the Assembly and every statewide office, including governor.

Republicans are expected to push an agenda of “no new taxes”, which also is what Gov.-elect Andrew Cuomo has promised, said Baruch College political analyst David Birdsell.

But more importantly, both parties will have to come together to pass a budget for the 2012 fiscal year, which starts April 1.

Birdsell said having Republicans in charge of the Senate does help the Democrats in one respect: Any fiscal “pain” must be approved by both parties, “not only bearing Democratic stamps,” he said.