Rookie Dem claims upstate Senate race win

ALBANY -- The Democratic candidate claimed victory yesterday by at least 18 votes in a close race for a State Senate seat in upstate New York after the court-ordered count of additional ballots.

Cecilia Tkaczyk said no one initially believed she could beat Republican Assemb. George Amedore in the new district that was drawn by Republicans trying to keep control of the chamber.

"The power of good ideas and a strong campaign proved itself," said Tkaczyk, a school board vice president from Duanesburg who lives on a small farm in rural Schenectady County.

A former legislative analyst and labor organizer, she will join Democratic senators "in pursuing the common-sense, progressive agenda that New Yorkers demand," she said.

After a judge's ruling that Amedore was the winner by 37 votes out of some 126,000 ballots cast in the 46th Senate District race, a midlevel court ruled 99 challenged ballots should be counted. The state's highest court refused to hear further appeals, leading to the additional count.

Ulster County Democratic Election Commissioner Victor Work said they opened 90 ballots yesterday, counting 69 for Tkaczyk, 15 for Amedore, four blank and two write-ins with other names. With eight votes tallied in Greene County, Tkaczyk was ahead by 19, with only one left to open in Albany County, he said.

The new district, drawn by Senate Republicans who held a narrow majority last year, included suburban areas south and west of Albany.

Tkaczyk's win gives enrolled Democrats a 33-30 majority in the Senate, but the Republicans formed a ruling coalition with five breakaway Democrats and a sixth who sits with Republicans.

An Amedore spokesman said they won't challenge the outcome.

"I was supported by the hardworking upstate families who are faced with tremendous challenges in these trying times," said Amedore, a Schenectady County builder. "The time for politics has ended and the time to govern is at hand."

Scott Reif, spokesman for the Senate Republican Conference, said that while they are disappointed Amedore fell a few votes short, the outcome of that race doesn't change anything.

"Senate Republicans have already partnered with the Independent Democratic Conference to form a majority coalition that will keep moving this state forward, and we're off to a great start," he said.