KEEP NEW YORK SENATE DEMOCRATIC

Here's an e-mail we received from the New York State Democratic Senate Campaign Committee:

Poll: Most New Yorkers Prefer Democrats Continue in Senate Majority

Independents, Upstaters, Suburban Residents and Even 10 Percent of Republicans Also Want Dems to Continue to Control State Senate

Following a period in which Democrats were forced to make tough, practical decisions to resolve the state's $18 billion deficit, save the mass transit system and generally repair damage left after four decades of GOP Senate control, a recent poll shows that voters are approving of the Senate's new Majority, with most wanting Democrats to continue to control the state's upper legislative house.

A Quinnipiac University poll released this week shows that statewide, 56 percent of voters prefer that Democrats continue their newly-acquired status in the Senate Majority. More independent voters support the continuation of the Democratic State Senate (46 percent to 37) instead of returning to the old Republican Senate, and even 10 percent of Republican voters would like to see Democrats remain in the Majority. Continued Democratic control of the Senate is also supported by upstaters, suburban residents, men, women, whites, blacks and Hispanics according to Quinnipiac.

A March 2008 poll by the Siena Research Institute found that a small plurality of voters at that time believed the State Senate should remain in Republican control, with 47 percent in favor. One year later, after the Senate Democrats have been able to demonstrate their ability to address complex problems and Senate Republicans have shown themselves to be little more than the "Party of No," the tables have turned.

The Democratic Senate Campaign Committee sees the poll results as proof that most voters recognize that Senate Democrats are doing the best job possible given the dire situation left to them after 43 years of GOP control.

"Despite the best efforts of Republican senators to obstruct legislation, mislead the public and walk away from the problems they cultivated over the last 43 years, voters are saying that they see through the GOP smokescreen and that the state is better served with Democrats controlling the Senate," said DSCC spokesman Shams Tarek. "Like a mother to a toddler throwing a tantrum, this is voters giving a firm 'NO' to the cynical inaction and hyperbole of Senate Republicans."

Below are the results from the Quinnipiac poll: