Staff and wire reports
ALBANY - Republicans have declared victory in the close state Senate race between Republican George Amedore and Democrat Cecilia Tkaczyk, but a spokesman for Tkaczyk's campaign says the ballot counting in court is not yet over.
Senate Republican leader Dean Skelos said today that Amedore has won the race in the 46th district, which includes Montgomery County.
In a news release, Skelos said, "I congratulate George Amedore on a hard-fought and well-deserved victory. His electoral journey has been a long and winding road, but it ends today with him as senator-elect.
"George Amedore is going to be our partner in controlling spending and taxes, creating new jobs, and building on the progress we've made over the last two years. I know he will make an outstanding representative for the residents of Albany, Greene, Montgomery, Schenectady and Ulster counties."
However, Tkaczyk's campaign released this statement today: "There are still hundreds of outstanding objections that have to be ruled on by the Appellate Court. These ballots include votes cast by election inspectors that voted early at the direction of both Republican and Democratic election commissioners and hundreds of affidavit ballots that were thrown out because of minor errors. When all the votes are counted, Cecilia Tkacyzk will be certified the winner of this election and will represent the residents of the 46th Senate District."
The 46th district was created by the Republicans earlier this year to help protect their majority in a state where Democrats have a nearly 2-1 voter enrollment advantage.