NEW YORK, NY July 10, 2009 —It ended as it started, with a Bronx Senator changing sides. NY State Senate 31 day power struggle ended after Bronx Democratic Senator Pedro Espada Junior rejoined his party. This gives the Democrats a 32-to-30 majority again. The move allowed all 62 senators to meet in a session late last night, to pass a package of so-called "non-controversial" bills, that has been held up for weeks.

But that two-vote majority is still mighty slim, and there are a lot of controversial bills still waiting in the wings. Is this really over? And what role will our new lieutenant governor play in making sure it is? Ken Lovett is the Albany bureau chief for the Daily News, and he joins us now.