Tenants PAC scored a major victory in November 2006 when pro-tenant Democrat Andrea Stewart-Cousins won election to the New York State Senate in the 35th State Senate District in Westchester County. She ousted entrenched 20-year incumbent Republican Nick Spano, who gave lip service to tenants but consistently voted with landlords.

Andrea Stewart-Cousins is a rare individual. She is both an effective legislator and a real person. In six terms on the Westchester County Legislature, she got things done, among other achievements enacting a law establishing a Human Rights Commission while refusing to eliminate protections on the basis of sexual orientation. For many voters, meeting Andrea one time was sufficient to gain their support, due to her intelligence, serenity, and genuine warmth. It is easier to win an election when you have a superior candidate.

Tenants played a substantial role in the effort to elect Stewart-Cousins. More than 300 tenants participated in the campaign - by writing checks to Friends of Andrea Stewart-Cousins; writing checks to Tenants PAC; phone banking; door-knocking; attending rallies; and/or leafleting.

On Election Day, November 7, 2006, more than 75 tenants phone banked, poll watched, passed out palm cards at polling sites, door knocked, and otherwise helped get out the vote to elect Andrea.

In addition to recruiting volunteers, Tenants PAC contributed $8,500 (the maximum allowed under state election law) to Friends of Andrea Stewart-Cousins. Tenants PAC also mailed two pieces of campaign literature to tenant voters in the district, explaining why they should not vote for Spano and why they should vote for Stewart-Cousins.

There are some 23,000 rent-regulated households in the 35th SSD, and thousands of others who live in public housing, Mitchell-Lama housing, or other subsidized housing. Due largely to the efforts of Tenants PAC, tenants voted overwhelmingly for Stewart-Cousins.

The 35th SSD is composed of most of the City of Yonkers, plus the towns of Greenburgh and Mount Pleasant. Villages within the two townships include Hastings-on-Hudson, Dobbs Ferry, Ardsley, Irvington, Tarrytown, Sleepy Hollow, Elmsford, and Pleasantville.

Our endorsed candidate, Craig Johnson, beat the Republican candidate decisively in the special election for a New York State Senate seat held on February 6, 2007. Tenants PAC recruited lots of volunteers for this race, and donated $5,000 to Johnson.

On a bitterly frigid day, an unusually high number of voters turned out in this district in Nassau County. Johnson beat his Republican opponent, Maureen O'Connell, 26,352 to 22,911, a margin of 3,441 votes.

The district is in northwestern Nassau County, and includes the Town of North Hempstead, as well as the communities of Bellerose, Floral Park, Elmont, Franklin Square, Stewart Manor, Great Neck, Manhasset, Port Washington, and part of Hicksville. There are about 4,000 rent-regulated apartments in the district. In a tight race, tenants proved to be a crucial swing vote.