Democrat Brian Benjamin easily won a special election Tuesday for a vacant State Senate seat in Upper Manhattan.
Benjamin was the overwhelming favorite after getting multiple endorsements from labor unions and elected officials.
He got more than 90 percent of the vote in a typically small showing at the polls. Fewer than 9,000 people cast ballots.
Once he gets to Albany, Benjamin says he will join the mainline Democrats and not the breakaway Independent Democratic Conference.
"I am so excited that the people of this district have given me the chance to serve, and I won't let any of them down," Benjamin said. "One of the first things I'm going to do is to say to all of our Democrats, we need to come back together. We 32 Democrats, the state has spoken. Democrats are the majority in the state Senate, and we need to reunite."
The seat became vacant in February when Bill Perkins was elected to the City Council.