With 42% of the vote counted, Democrat Darrel Aubertine is leading Republican Will Barclay by about 2,000 votes, in the special New York State Senate 48th district election on February 26. It will be some time before a breakdown of all 5 parties’ vote totals in available. The Working Families Party had cross-endorsed Aubertine; the Conservative and Independence Parties had cross-endorsed Barclay.

According to newspaper reports, this will be the first time this area of upstate New York has sent a Democrat to the Senate in over 100 years (assuming the initial returns hold up). The district has about 78,000 registered Republicans, 47,000 registered Democrats, and 35,000 others. Thanks to Bill Van Allen for this news.

The Oregon legislature adjourned for the year on February 22. SB 1102, which would have legalized fusion, failed to pass.

On February 25, Mayor Mike Bloomberg defends Ralph Nader’s moral right to run for president. See this AP story. Thanks to David Gaines for the link.