It seems that as of last night, that it's now Senator Darrel Aubertine. The idea that a democrat could win a major North Country seemed far fetched only a few months ago, but Aubertine showed his magic and that he could win and win big.

Aubertine was not just any Assemblyman, he was a seventh generation dairy farmer in the North Country, tied for a long time to the land, and connected to many people around him. He got out and talked to the voters, and showed that he was a candidate of the people.

The next big question is who will control the State Senate. Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno is badly damaged by this race, with his majority widowed down to 32-30. If only one more Republican member dies or otherwise is unable fulfill his responsibilities, the Lieutenant Governor David Patterson will cast the tie breaking vote for a Democratic speaker.

But it's more then just a leadership fight. It's about the North Country having a leader that is one of them, who understands the concerns of what it means to be a person from the North Country, and not a person of great wealth and privilege and never a real job.