After many long years of campaigning for some political offices, with countless highlights from debates to voter registration debacles, and over $6 billion dollars spent, the results from yesterday’s elections are finally in.
President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden beat their challengers, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and his running mate, Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan. Obama finished with 303 electoral votes, well over the 270 threshold needed to hold office. He carried both Massachusetts and Wisconsin, the home states of his opponents.
Democrats remained in control of the Senate, adding three seats. However, Republicans maintained control of the House, holding 232 seats against 191 democrats.
In New York, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand held on to her seat, elected to her first full six-year term in the Senate. Gillibrand was originally appointed by former-Gov. David Paterson to replace Hillary Clinton who left the seat to join Obama’s cabinet as Sec. of State. Despite early worries that she would face electoral challenges due to her appointment, Gillibrand swept her opponent, Wendy Long, by many dozen of percentage points in the state’s first senate campaign between two women.
Results in the New York State Senate races are still being tallied, but early projections show that two upstate seats will likely switch the major party from Republicans to Democrats. Final officials results could take up to weeks to complete. Majority leader Dean Skelos held on to his seat, and all six senatorial campaigns resulted in Republican victories. Assemblyman Phil Boyle defeated Suffolk County Legis. Rick Montana, who challenged him for former-Sen. Owen Johnson’s vacant seat.
Though redistricting that took place earlier this year, which created a 63rd district, was expected to expand Republican control in the State Senate, so far it appears that Democrat Cecilia Tkaczyk is holding a lead over Republican Assemb. George Amedore.
In one of the Island’s most contention races, somewhat of a repeat from a 2010 race, ended with Randy Altschuler’s concession at midnight for New York’s 1st Congressional District. “My opponent may have had the guys with the big checks. I had the guys with the big hearts," Bishop announced during his victory speech.
New York’s 2nd Congressional District went to incumbent Republican Peter King, and incumbent Steve Israel kept his seat in the 3rd District.
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