There have been a number of diaries posted here recently about a special election (and a related fundraiser/blograiser) scheduled to take place in New York's Seventh Senatorial District on February 6th. The contenders are Craig Johnson, the Democrat, and Maureen O'Connell, a Republican. A Democratic win in this election is considered predictive of whether the state Senate will flip to the Democrats for the first time, essentially, since 1932. The state Senate, which Theodore Roosevelt quipped was 'constitutionally Republican', is colloquially known here as 'the place where good legislation goes to die'.

More after the jump....