All three statewide politicians hung on to their spots as several legislative politicians were also re-elected during Tuesday’s midterm elections. However, the results gave control of the state Senate to the Republicans.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli were all re-elected Tuesday with the majority of precincts reporting. Cuomo beat Republican candidate Rob Astorino, taking 54 percent of the votes to earn a second term.
During his victory speech, Cuomo promised a continued progressive agenda for the state during his second term.
“We said that New York is at its best when it acts like a family, honoring each other’s rights and responsibilities,” he said. “We said that what makes New York special is that while others are challenged by diversity, we celebrate it.”
Schneiderman took 55 percent of the vote, beating his three opponents, John Cahill, Ramon Jimenez and Carl Person. Meanwhile, DiNapoli took 60 percent of the vote, beating Republican Robert Antonacci. DiNapoli also ran on the Independent and Working Families Party lines.
In state Senate races, former Queens City Council Member Leroy Comrie, who defeated Malcolm Smith during the primary elections, ran unopposed in the general election, making him the new representative for the 14th District in Queens.
Other winners include state Sens. Kevin Parker, Bill Perkins and Ruth Hassell-Thompson. Brooklyn’s state Sen. John Sampson was re-elected despite being indicted by a federal grand jury for embezzlement, obstruction of justice and making false statements to the FBI, stemming from the alleged theft of $400,000 from the sale of foreclosed homes, to which he pled not guilty.
Notable winners in the Assembly included Rodneyse Bichotte in the District 42 race in Brooklyn, while in Brooklyn’s District 43 race, Democratic frontrunner Karim Camara won, taking 95 percent of the vote. Latrice Walker won Brooklyn’s District 55 race, taking 92 percent of the vote, beating Working Families Party candidate Lori Boozer.
Former Brooklyn City Council Member Charles Barron is headed to Albany after he officially won the Assembly seat previously occupied by his wife, Inez Barron, who took over his City Council seat.
Harlem Rep. Charlie Rangel was victorious, getting elected to his 23rd term after taking nearly 90 percent of the vote. Other winners in congressional races included Gregory Meeks, Hakeem Jeffries and Yvette Clarke.
Republicans are now the majority in the U.S. Senate for the first time in eight years. Reports indicate that the GOP won seven states, including West Virginia, Colorado and Iowa. The Republican Party will control both houses of Congress in January.