When two Democratic state senators, Pedro Espada Jr. and Hiram Monserrate, joined Republicans on the Senate floor Monday to kick off their surprise takeover of the chamber, almost every other Democratic senator in the room walked out in anger, shock or disgust.
But as Mr. Espada stood to be sworn in as the new president of the Senate, several other Latino lawmakers, all members of the Assembly, filed into the room and stood behind him, beaming like proud parents.
“There are over two million Latinos in the State of New York; they are looking to be included in a partnership,” Assemblyman José Rivera, a Bronx Democrat, said later. “I don’t know if that’s going to last, but yeah, it’s a proud moment — a Latino making waves.”
Lurking just underneath the partisan battle that broke out this week is an uglier, longer-running rift within the Democratic Party. For years, Latino lawmakers have resented playing junior partner to the state’s powerful black establishment, which has supplied New York with a mayor for its largest city, a governor, and, last winter, the first black Senate majority leader: Malcolm A. Smith, who held that post until Mr. Espada and Mr. Monserrate defected this week. READ FULL STORY
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