In the wake of a process that caused some controversy and a lot of grumbling, Assemblyman Brian Kavanagh is expected to be the new senator for the 26th State Senate District, which includes Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn.
Kavanagh won the support of county political leaders from both Brooklyn and Manhattan, which means he will appear on the ballot as the Democratic candidate in November. But as State House Reporter Zack Fink explains, Kavanagh's ascension has drawn the anger of reformers who call the process undemocratic.
Last month, State Sen. Daniel Squadron surprised many by suddenly resigning his senate seat to help elect Democratic candidates across the country.
It enabled Squadron's friend, State Assemblyman Brian Kavanagh, an opening to run for the seat.
However, there was no primary or traditional election. The seat was all but given to Kavanagh when Brooklyn Democratic Party Chairman Frank Seddio handed him the borough's roughly 35 percent of the vote.
"Brian was the only legislator that was involved in that matter. He is a ten-year member of the assembly, walks into the door and knows and understands the political process in Albany," Seddio said. "In other words, he won't have to ask anybody to find out where the bathroom is."
On Sunday, the Manhattan Democratic County Committee met to select its candidate.
"We have an open and, I think, rather transparent process where the folks in the County Committee will be voicing who they wish," Manhattan Democratic Chairman Keith Wright had said.
The meeting was contentious at times.
Candidate Paul Newell secured more than 70 percent of the Manhattan vote, but that wasn't enough to make up for the Brooklyn share that went to Kavanagh.
"Brooklyn's County Committee was not invited to vote," Newell said. "And it's the position of the Brooklyn County Leader Frank Seddio that he has the right to speak for all of the communities of Brooklyn. We do not accept that."
"Our rules don't require a committee meeting," Seddio said. "The Manhattan political process is different than ours."
Despite winning, even Kavanagh acknowledged that the process was flawed.
"Obviously, this process and participants in this process today have a lot of ideas about how it can be different, and I look forward to working with them and discussing that over time," Kavanagh said.
Although a lot of political intrigue surrounds these selection processes, at the end of the day the 26th District seat is heavily Democratic, meaning it's unlikely a Republican will win in November. That also means it likely won't disrupt the delicate balance of power in the Upper House.