National and state Democrats say they are energized by last night’s victory of Hillary Clinton and capturing another seat in the state Senate that used to belong to ousted Majority Leader Dean Skelos.
According to unofficial results by the New York State Board of Elections, New York’s former U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton beat Vermont’s U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders by 58.1 percent of the Democratic vote to 41.9 percent.
On the Republican side, Queens native Donald Trump beat Ohio Gov. John Kasich by 60.3 percent to 25.10 percent of the Republican vote. Texas Senator Ted Cruz garnered 14.5 percent of the primary vote.
Democratic Party leaders are citing an exit poll that shows 68 percent of New York Democratic voters said their primary had “energized the party,” while 57 percent of New York Republican voters said their primary had divided the party, according to Democratic National Committee Chair, Debbie Wasserman Schultz.
“I want to congratulate Secretary Clinton for her victory tonight in New York, and both of our Democratic candidates for continuing to run spirited campaigns worthy of the American people,” Wasserman Schultz said. “Millions of New Yorkers cast their votes today in both the Democratic and Republican primaries, but there was one crucial difference: whether they voted for Senator Sanders or Secretary Clinton, Democrats voted for a candidate they respect and admire, Republicans are only voting against the candidate they dislike the most.
“Even Republican Party leaders can’t help but hold their noses as they announce their tepid support for their candidates,” she added.
National Democrats seem gleeful over the prospect of a Republican Party rift, made more likely with Trumps New York victory Tuesday night.
“And now, with Donald Trump’s victory tonight over Ted ‘New York Values’ Cruz, he’s closer than ever to the GOP nomination, which only means Republicans are certainly headed for chaos at their upcoming convention in Cleveland,” Wasserman Schultz said. “Republicans have no one to blame but themselves. They set the stage for ‘Dangerous Donald’ with years of divisive policies and hateful rhetoric, and they will be held accountable come November.”
Meanwhile, the balance of the state Senate inches closer to Democratic control after an apparent win by former Assemblyman Todd Kaminsky for the seat that belonged to former Majority Leader Dean Skelos. Kaminsky beat Republican Christopher McGrath by 53 to 45 percent, according to unofficial results from the Board of Elections.
“Tonight’s win for Todd Kaminsky is a rejection of Republicans’ divisive agenda and a huge win for Long Island’s working families, who will finally see their interests represented in the state Senate,” said Sen. Andrea Stewart-Cousins, the Democratic Conference Leader. “Todd won this race despite an onslaught of million-dollar hedge fund-backed attack ads and vile, racist, anti-immigrant rhetoric by his opponent that echoed Donald Trump’s campaign.”
