Locals win re-election to state Senate as Democrats widen majority
By Brian Sharp
November 3, 2026 at 11:40 PM EST
Democrats took back the supermajority Tuesday in the New York state Senate and were poised for additional gains as final results roll in.
Locally, though, the balance of power stayed unchanged Tuesday, as incumbent Democratic Sens. Jeremy Cooney and Samra Brouk won re-election, as did Minority Leader Rob Ort and Republican Sen. Pam Helming.
State Democrats entered the night with a 41-22 advantage in the Senate, and needed to reclaim only one seat to reclaim the supermajority lost in the 2024 elections. The party picked up at least two seats in Brooklyn and and the Hudson Valley and were leading or tied in a handful of Republican districts late into the night Tuesday, stretching from downstate to Central New York.
New York state Sen. Jeremy Cooney, joined by his wife, Dr. Diane Lu, reacts to incoming election results from Texas on on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, during the Democratic Party's election night watch party at the Hyatt Regency Rochester in Rochester, New York. Cooney won re-election to New York's 56th Senate District. (6720x4201, AR: 1.5996191383004046)
Here are the New York state Board of Elections' unofficial results as of 11:30 p.m. Tuesday for area elections (incumbents noted by asterisks):
54th Senate District (Spans eastern Monroe, and parts of Ontario, Wayne, Seneca and Livingston counties) — All election districts reporting.
*Pamela Helming | Republican, Conservative — 57.84%
Michael Mills | Democratic — 40.90%
56th Senate District (Monroe County) — All election districts reporting.
*Jeremy Cooney | Democratic, Working Families — 66.50%
Orlando Rivera | Republican, Conservative — 32.76%
55th Senate District (Eastern Rochester and Monroe County) — All election districts reporting.
*Samra Brouk | Democratic, Working Families — 65.69%
Chris Brown | Republican, Conservative — 32.93%
62nd Senate District (Western Monroe County and parts of Orleans and Niagara counties) — 215 of 220 election districts reporting.
*Rob Ortt | Republican, Conservative — 60.52%
Thomas Arida | Democratic, Working Families — 37.34%
Locally, though, the balance of power stayed unchanged Tuesday, as incumbent Democratic Sens. Jeremy Cooney and Samra Brouk won re-election, as did Minority Leader Rob Ort and Republican Sen. Pam Helming.
State Democrats entered the night with a 41-22 advantage in the Senate, and needed to reclaim only one seat to reclaim the supermajority lost in the 2024 elections. The party picked up at least two seats in Brooklyn and and the Hudson Valley and were leading or tied in a handful of Republican districts late into the night Tuesday, stretching from downstate to Central New York.
New York state Sen. Jeremy Cooney, joined by his wife, Dr. Diane Lu, reacts to incoming election results from Texas on on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, during the Democratic Party's election night watch party at the Hyatt Regency Rochester in Rochester, New York. Cooney won re-election to New York's 56th Senate District. (6720x4201, AR: 1.5996191383004046)
Here are the New York state Board of Elections' unofficial results as of 11:30 p.m. Tuesday for area elections (incumbents noted by asterisks):
54th Senate District (Spans eastern Monroe, and parts of Ontario, Wayne, Seneca and Livingston counties) — All election districts reporting.
*Pamela Helming | Republican, Conservative — 57.84%
Michael Mills | Democratic — 40.90%
56th Senate District (Monroe County) — All election districts reporting.
*Jeremy Cooney | Democratic, Working Families — 66.50%
Orlando Rivera | Republican, Conservative — 32.76%
55th Senate District (Eastern Rochester and Monroe County) — All election districts reporting.
*Samra Brouk | Democratic, Working Families — 65.69%
Chris Brown | Republican, Conservative — 32.93%
62nd Senate District (Western Monroe County and parts of Orleans and Niagara counties) — 215 of 220 election districts reporting.
*Rob Ortt | Republican, Conservative — 60.52%
Thomas Arida | Democratic, Working Families — 37.34%