By Dan Murphy
For the first time since the 1840’s, Democrats in the New York State Senate have a supermajority, and their leader will be Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins, from Westchester. This week, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins was unanimously re-elected by her Democratic Conference colleagues as Senate President Pro Tempore and Majority Leader.
Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins is being praised by the media, and by her colleagues for her ability to keep her democratic caucus on track. “We really wanted to break what people thought of our leadership … We had to be able to present a united front, a pragmatic front, a progressive front, and all of the things that New Yorkers expected from us as leaders,” said Leader Stewart-Cousins.
Not only has Stewart-Cousins presided over a unified democratic state senate that has passed progressive legislation, but has now increased
her caucus to 43 members, out of 63 Senators, giving her a supermajority of democrats that can now override a veto from Governor Andrew Cuomo.
The victories of several democratic candidates for State Senate, including Sen. Pete Harckham here in Westchester, are a testament to Stewart-Cousins leadership, and the confidence that democratic voters across the state have in her leadership.
“I am honored and humbled to be re-elected by my Democratic colleagues to continue my service as Majority Leader of the New York State Senate,” Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said. “During our first session as the Democratic Majority, we enacted historic legislation to protect and expand New Yorkers’ rights and build a stronger and fairer state for all residents. The voters clearly supported our efforts and agenda as they elected the largest majority in Senate history and the first modern Democratic supermajority. We will use this mandate to help lead New York State forward as we address the ongoing pandemic and rebuild from this economic crisis.”
Stewart-Cousins has moved the democratic senate conference away from the divisiveness and splits in their membership, including the breakaway Independent Democratic Conference, and has provided leadership that has won the loyalty and appreciation of every democratic state senator.
Senator Stewart-Cousins has served as Leader of the Senate Democratic Conference since December 2012, and was the first woman and African American woman to be elected as a Conference Leader in New York State history. Following the 2018 Elections and the strong Democratic Majority elected by New York voters, Andrea Stewart-Cousins became the first woman and African American woman to lead a New York State Legislative Majority.
She presided over the return of democratic senators who had defected back to the conference and did so without any sign of retribution. “Andrea’s the only one who actually thinks the way you get things done is to treat people as equals, listen to them, respect them, and see if you can get them to come along to an agreement,” said Senator Liz Kruger.
Senator Shelley Mayer, also from Yonkers said that Stewart-Cousins, “has the skills of bringing diverse people to the table and making them feel heard, and they are heard by her. Yonkers is a good place to learn how to hear from different views and try to find common ground and encourage people to let go of their egos and personal preferences with the goal of the common good.”
Leader Stewart-Cousins has also been able to balance the interests of democratic state senators from New York City, with those of the suburbs and upstate. Simply put, everyone in the NYS Senate Democratic conference is happy. The political drama is gone, and in its place has come meaningful legislation on issues like immigration, criminal justice reform a living wage, and gun tougher gun laws.
“I’m the first woman leader, we have more women in our conference than ever, we have more geographic diversity, more ethnic diversity.. I believe we have an opportunity — and even a responsibility — to prove this can work,” Stewart-Cousins told Politico, in a feature story by reporter Bill Mahoney that is evidence of the praise she is receiving from all over Albany.
That same praise is certainly as great in Westchester, and Yonkers, and in the 35th Senate District that she represents, and now cannot be overlooked by Governor Andrew Cuomo. Now, with a supermajority of 43 Senators, some political observers in the Capitol are saying that ASC could now be the most powerful leader in New York State.
