From BuffaloNews.com:

The drama appears over in the 60th Senate District—except for Sen. Antoine M. Thompson’s concession speech. Opponent Mark Grisanti’s more than 500-vote lead has held through the counting of paper ballots.

Unless Democratic Party lawyers can pull a rabbit out of a hat, the senator’s tin ear for taxpayer concerns has finally done him in. Voters were not sufficiently wowed by the 102- page book, produced at taxpayer expense, heralding his legislative wonders.

Thompson’s race was one of three Senate contests statewide to reach cliff-hanger status. With the smoke clearing in all three, Democrats in Albany are bracing as though they narrowly lost Senate control to the Republicans, 32-30. (In the two other races, Republican Jack Martins appears to have defeated Democratic incumbent Craig Johnson of Nassau County, while in Westchester County, Democratic incumbent Suzi Oppenheimer appears to have held off Republican challenger Bob Cohen.)

Two things to watch for now:

First, the Democrats will have to shed some patronage jobs. Thompson’s staff numbers between 10 and 20.What to do with those faithful? They’ll swim to other patronage posts at local governments, agencies and authorities—jobs to keep them in formation for future election seasons.

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