Governor Cuomo has had a longstanding deal with the Senate Republicans helping them keep control of the upper chamber in exchange for them supporting his agenda.
There was no way this arrangement would continue forever:
“… Cuomo has taken an active role this year in his party’s bid for the state Senate, lending his presence to big-money fundraisers for Democratic candidates and offering himself up on the campaign trail. That’s a change from cycles past, when the Democratic governor largely stayed out of the fierce battle for the chamber as it teetered between a Republican and Democratic majority …”
Apparently Republicans thought it would, though:
“… Senate Republican Majority Leader John Flanagan punched back on Wednesday as Gov. Andrew Cuomo backs Senate Democrats’ efforts to retake the majority … “The Senate Democrat candidates have records of being investigated for corruption, hypocrisy and lying to the public, and of imposing massive tax hikes on hardworking New Yorkers,” Flanagan said. “It is disturbing that the Governor believes that the radical and extreme agenda backed by the Senate Democrats is the right one for the people of this state.” …”
Reminds me of this scene from The Empire Strikes Back:
With registered Democrats outnumbering Republicans in the state more than 2-1 and with less than half of the sitting Republican Senators representing Republican-majority districts, Senator Flanagan should keep this in mind.