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Legalized weed and universal healthcare just took a huge step forward in New York

Democrats took control of the Albany statehouse from the GOP, and many triumphing on platforms based on universal healthcare and legal marijuana.

  • Democrats have taken control of the state
  • from the Republicans, who have controlled it almost uninterrupted for the last 70 years.
  • This could have a huge impact on the state, with Democrats pledging to enact policies like universal healthcare, and running on platforms like the legalization of marijuana.
  • The Senate victory removed the last GOP stronghold, as Democrats already hold the state's assembly and governorship.

Democrats have taken control of the New York State Senate after 70 years of near-permanent GOP control — and it could have a huge impact on the state, with possible consequences ranging from a push to legalize weed, to the introduction of universal healthcare.

Democrats have hardly ever been in control of the New York's senate before. According to the New York Times, the party has held the upper house for a total of less than three years since 1945.

Election results on Wednesday changed that, seeing Democrats win Republican-held seats, unseating five incumbents and giving the party solid control of the chamber, with 40 seats to 23.

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You keep making history, and you’ve made history for us," she said.

Democrats in the race had promised many progressive changes, including enacting universal healthcare. A bill that would provide New Yorkers with universal health care has been repeatedly defeated in the Republican-controlled state senate since 1992.

But now that the senate has turned blue for the first time in a decade, Republicans will struggle to stop another push, given that Democrats hold the State Assembly and state governorship already.

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Many candidates ran on the platform of

The elections also mark a number of firsts in the makeup of the state legislature.

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