A.M. Roundup: Democrats may re-take state Senate

Good morning! It’s the day after, and I (and most political figures) will spend it wearily parsing the results of yesterday’s voting. Please be extra forgiving about any grammatical errors you find below. Temperatures will moderate a bit as a Nor’easter brings rain, possibly turning into snow, in the evening. Gov. Andrew Cuomo remains in New York City, with no announced public schedule. Rep. Chris Gibson will have a media availability at his home in the afternoon. Here are this morning’s headlines…

Barack Obama was elected to a second term last night, fueled by victories over ex-Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire and Virginia. He also won a slight majority of the nation-wide popular vote. (NYT/AP)

Democrats made essentially no pick-up in the House of Representatives, but gained several Senate seats, including Elizabeth Warren’s win over Republican Scott Brown in Massachusetts. (AP)

“While our journey has been long, we have picked ourselves up,” Obama told a cheering crowd of supporters in his home town of Chicago early Wednesday morning. “We have fought our way back. And we know in our hearts that, for the United States of America, the best is yet to come.” (WP)

“I so wish that I had been able to fulfill your hopes to lead the country in a different direction,” Romney said in his concession. “But the nation chose another leader and so Ann and I join with you to earnestly pray for him and for this great nation.” (AP)

Democrats had a net gain of one House seat in New York: challengers Dan Maffei and Sean Patrick Maloney defeated Republican incumbents, but Democratic Rep. Kathy Hochul conceded to Chris Collins in suburban Buffalo. (Post-Standard/Journal News/BN)

Reps. Bill Owens, D-Plattsburgh, and Chris Gibson, R-Kinderhook, beat back close challengers. (TU)

Democrats finished ahead in three races and were on track to take the state Senate majority. In the Capital Region, Democrat Cecilia Tkaczyk is 139 votes ahead of Assemblyman George Amedore, R-Rotterdam in a race that will be decided by absentee ballots. Terry Gipson eked out a 1,600-vote win in a three–way race for a district currently held by Sen. Steve Saland, R-Poughkeepsie. Monroe County Legislator Ted O’Brien bested Assemblyman Sean Hanna for a Rochester-area seat being vacated by Republican Sen. Jim Alesi. (TU/D&C/PoJo)

Control of the state Senate was far from settled, though. Democrats will have to reconcile with the four-member Independent Democratic Conference and ensure that Sen. Simcha Felder, newly elected from Brooklyn, falls in with their ranks. (Post-Standard/CapCon/NYT)

Hundreds of students at the University at Albany had problems voting and signed affidavit ballots. This could prove critical in the Tkaczyk-Amedore contest. (TU)

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand won an easy re-election. (TU)

Four new Democrats were elected to the Assembly from the Capital Region — Phil Steck, John McDonald, Angelo Santabarbara and Patricia Fahy — while Republican incumbents held on. (TU)

How did Cuomo do? He endorsed Queens Sen. Joe Addabbo, who was victorious over New York City Councilman Eric Ulrich, but also recorded a robocall for Saland, who appears to have fallen short. He has planned to be a campaign surrogate for Obama, but Superstorm Sandy interfered.

“I would rather do anything rather than see my people go through the pain they’ve been going through over the last week,” Cuomo said of missing a chance to stump for Obama. “I’m sure the president understands.” (CapNY)

Theodore Jones, Court of Appeals judge, 68. (AP)

Albany County officials are forcing John Burke to retire from the Sheriff’s Department. (TU)

New York City voters had a chaotic experience, with dozens of polling sites relocated due to Sandy and an executive order that allowed people to cast affidavit ballots anywhere. (NYT/CapNY)

Vito Lopez was re-elected despite substantiated sexual harassment claims against him. (DN)

It’s going to cost more for the MTA to borrow money after Sandy. (Bloomberg)

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s PAC had a mixed record last night. (CapNY)

And in non-election news, a Nor’easter is still chugging our way, now forecast to bring snow to parts of Upstate America. (TU)

Here are some national headlines…

With Congress still split, will there be less gridlock in Washington? (WP)

Did Super PACs’ heavy spending actually tilt elections? Not always. (WSJ)

How will the Republican Party adapt as the country grows less white? (Politico)

Happy Birthday to…

Clinton County Democratic Chairman Marty Mannix … WAMC producer Ian Pickus … GOP spokesman Tory Mazzola.

What you missed yesterday…

Chris Gibson’s victory party smelled like Christmas … DACC raised last-minute cash … and Wendy Long alleged chicanery at her polling place.

Et cetera…

Meat Romney.