By Joan Gralla
NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York Democrats on Thursday said they regained control of the state Senate after the second of two party members who had defected to the Republicans rejoined the Democrats, ending a nearly five-week impasse that had frozen all legislation.
Democrats, who had won control of the Senate for the first time in 40 years in November only to see the GOP oust them from the leadership on June 8, vowed to reform the upper chamber.
Senator Pedro Espada, of the Bronx, rejoined the Democrats on Thursday, breaking a 31-31 split between the two parties in the Senate. He becomes majority leader and the state's first Hispanic to hold the post. The GOP had named Espada as Senate president, which put him third in line to succeed the governor.
http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSTRE5687WO20090709