Op-Ed by State Sen. Andrea Stewart-Cousins
In 1970, three years before the national Roe v. Wade decision, New York State decriminalized abortion. This historic accomplishment was done with bipartisan support, including 12 Republican senators who worked with their Democratic colleagues to pass the bill through the Republican-led chamber.
Today, almost 50 years later, not one Republican in our Senate chamber will stand up to simply affirm a woman’s right to choose and codify the Roe v. Wade decision into state law. This fact, along with the rise of (President) Donald Trump, shows how extreme New York Senate Republicans have become.
Donald Trump and his GOP allies have been very clear that their priority is to repeal Roe v. Wade and work to roll back the clock on women’s rights. If that happens, New York State will be in a dangerous position since our laws are outdated and we have been unable to modernize them because of State Senate Republican obstruction.
Multiple times this past legislative session my Senate Democratic Conference fought to force women’s reproductive healthcare bills to the Senate floor for a vote. Rather than allow a simple yes or no vote on these bills, the Senate Republican majority went so far as to shut down the State Senate and refused to even allow my colleagues to speak about these important women’s health issues. This type of extremist behavior has no place in a state like New York, where the voters overwhelmingly support women’s rights and health-care options.
That is why it is essential we elect more pro-choice Senate candidates, so we can finally take action and stand up for the rights of New York women.
Our state has been stuck in the mud because the Senate Republicans have fought progress and still refuse to listen to the majority of New York voters. This is why we have been unable to take meaningful action on women’s rights, election reform, gun safety, protecting vulnerable communities, combating corruption, criminal justice reforms, environmental protection, and a host of other issues.
As millions of New Yorkers watch what is happening nationally, they are understandably frustrated that their state government can’t do more to protect and expand their rights. Thankfully, we also know that elections have consequences. As we approach another important election cycle, New Yorkers have an opportunity to elect a progressive, pro-choice Senate majority. Together, we have the ability to move New York forward. (End of op-ed.)
Currently, Democrats hold a 32-31 advantage in the State Senate, but because of one holdout, Democratic State Sen. Simcha Felder, Republicans still control the chamber for the remainder of the year.
This November’s elections will determine which party will control the State Senate, and whether Stewart-Cousins will become the first African-American woman to lead the
Senate, and the first Senate leader from Westchester.
Stewart-Cousins has waited patiently while her Democratic Senate Caucus has splintered in years past, most notably when eight Senate Democrats broke away to form the Independent Democratic Conference, led by State Sen. Jeff Klein, who represents Pelham, and including State Sen. David Carlucci, who represents Ossining. Since 2011, the IDC has partnered with State Senate Republicans to form a majority.
But after the election of President Donald Trump in 2016, a vocal progressive, anti-Trump wing of the Democratic Party in New York State has called for IDC Senate Democrats to caucus with their own party or face primary challenges. Cynthia Nixon’s challenge to Gov. Andrew Cuomo has resulted in Cuomo crafting a peace between Klein, the IDA, and Stewart-Cousins and the Senate Democrats.
Klein, Carlucci and the other IDC senators have agreed to rejoin their Democrats to form a majority, but progressive Democrats are running primaries against Klein and Carlucci this September.
State Senate Republicans, led by Majority Leader John Flanagan, remain confident that they can hold onto the majority this Nov. 6. “We are confident that our Republican majority will field excellent candidates in each of these districts,” said Flanagan. “New Yorkers know that our majority is the only thing standing in the way of the New York City politicians implementing an agenda that will hurt our economy and make life more difficult for hard-working, middle-class taxpayers.’
Three Republican state senators have announced their retirement, leaving their seats in Syracuse, Saratoga and the Hudson Valley, open to a Democratic victory and pickup. Here in Westchester, State Sen. Terrence Murphy’s seat is also a must-win for Republicans to hold onto if they have any hopes of holding onto the majority.
Democrats remain confident they can take control of the State Senate for the first time in years. “Even if Republicans hold all of their seats, which is unlikely, we still have a majority and Sen. Felder has stated that he will caucus with Democrats next year if we have the majority,” said one Westchester democrat. “So it’s either a narrow majority for Senate Democrats in Albany next year, or a more likely scenario is that the blue wave continues in New York this November, and Republicans get crushed.”
The other factor in which party controls the State Senate next year is the race on top of the ballot in New York State on Nov. 6 for governor. Democrats have Andrew Cuomo on top of all of there Senate races running for re-election. Republicans have Marc Molinaro on the top of their ticket. Recent polling has Cuomo with a large lead over Molinaro, Cynthia Nixon and independent candidate Stephanie Miner.
