HispanicBusiness

The Republican coup that occurred due to the defection of two Democrats and resulted in the elevation of one of them -- state Sen. Pedro Espada -- to the Senate president position is largely the result of a rivalry between black and Hispanic Democratic lawmakers in that state, according to the New York Times.

The move not only made Espada the highest-ranking Hispanic elected official in New York state, but also led to the ouster of an up and coming black state senator -- Malcolm Smith (D- Queens) -- from the majority leader post.

Smith has been replaced by Sen. Dean Skelos (R-Nassau), who held the position before Democrats gained control of the chamber for a brief period following the November election. Before the election, the New York State Senate had been dominated by the Republican Party for 44 years.

Though they remain Democrats, Espada (D-Bronx) and the other defector, Sen. Hiram Monserrate (D-Queens), joined Republicans in voting to re-install Skelos as the new majority leader, thereby unseating Smith, who had recently landed that position.

Before the move, resentment among some Hispanic lawmakers had been brewing, according to the report. They felt shut out when Gov. David Paterson, who is black, did not appoint a Hispanic candidates to fill this year's vacancy left by Hillary Rodham Clinton.

The rift seemed to be underscored by a rally in Monserrate's district organized by the Rev. Al Sharpton, who said that Democrats "cannot afford to break the coalition" between blacks and Hispanics.