Aubertine Returning To Majority

Staff Report

WATERTOWN, NY – Tuesday’s election results have sealed it. Democrats have control of New York State Senate.

Republicans have held control of the New York State Senate for decades and kicked off Election Day with a one-seat majority. At the close of polls, Democrats held 32 of 62 seats. At the start of the new year, Senate will join the Assembly, the Governor’s office, the state comptroller’s office and the state attorney general’s office as Democrat controlled.

In one of the most heated Senate races, incumbent Democrat Darrel Aubertine beat out Republican challenger Dave Renzi for the 48th District.

Camped in the north country for election night, Aubertine and Renzi both spoke to WWNY TV-7 after votes were counted. Aubertine said that he was gratified to see the results; especially those from Oswego County.

“We got nearly 50 percent of the votes, which was kind of unanticipated,” Aubertine said. Toward the end of the evening, it was also gratifying to see results from St. Lawrence County widen the margin, he said.

While Renzi defeated Aubertine in Oswego County, Aubertine topped the challenger in both Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties.

“Thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve for at least the next two years to continue the work I started nearly six years ago when I was first elected to the Assembly,” Aubertine said in a comment to the voters.

“It is what it is,” Renzi told WWNY. “We were facing the power of incumbency… we knew that going in.”

Renzi thanked his campaign staff, his family and the many volunteers who have supported and helped him along the campaign trail.

“It’s unfortunate that our message didn’t get out,” he said. “But we are going to move forward.”

Renzi said he is not sure at this time if he will run in an election in the future.

“We will see what happens. Who knows what the future will bring,” he said. “Certainly there’s a problem in upstate New York. I hope it gets rectified.”

Aubertine congratulated Renzi on a “spirited race” and wished him well in his post-race endeavors. While the two disagreed on many issues, the senator said he is sure they share one opinion.

“I’m certain he’s glad that it’s over,” he said.

This is the second time this year that Aubertine has put on his running shoes in a heated race for the Senate seat. In February, he topped Republican Assemblyman Will Barclay for the position.

While his race is over, work is just beginning. Aubertine said Tuesday that he will be in Albany today to continue work on the coming state budget. missing or outdated ad config

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