Dear Friend,

I write to thank you for your support in a difficult election season. Thanks to your efforts, I was reelected with 70 percent of the vote, and we were able to secure victories in other highly competitive races, both in the Primary and General Elections.

Election Day 2010 can now be divided into three parts: the ones we can celebrate, the painful loses, and the ones we’ll need to celebrate later (after recounts are completed).

In a very tough year for Democrats around the country, we managed to motivate voters all over the City and State. In the Bronx, our hard work helped elect Gustavo Rivera in place of the disgraced Pedro Espada. In Queens, we defeated a 38-year Republican incumbent and will be sending in his stead a great Democrat, Tony Avella, to the State Senate. In Rockland County, David Carlucci’s decisive victory over a well-known Republican sent a clear message that voters demand new ideas. These additions to the State Senate will go a long way to changing the way things operate in Albany.

What these victories definitely have in common is your hard work and your dedication and support for the many asks I made of you. As I have said time and time again, I need more and better colleagues in the State Senate, and you helped get us closer to that goal. Whether it was through phone calls, knocking on doors, standing outside supermarkets and train stations, or financial contributions to myself and other candidates — the message was sent that our belief in democratic principles and ideals stands strong here in New York.

While the finish line has been pushed a bit further down the road for my colleagues in Nassau, Westchester and Buffalo, the entire Senate Democratic conference owes you a tremendous “thank you.”

2011 will be the start of a new and challenging session in Albany. I’m committed to working each day with Governor Andrew Cuomo, Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and Comptroller Tom DiNapoli to address tough issues, advance our shared priorities and make you proud of your efforts on my behalf.

I would like to express my personal gratitude to you for generously contributing your time, energy, and where possible, financial support. Campaigns such as these could never operate without the enthusiasm and participation of people such as yourself. I am so grateful to everyone who selflessly helped in these efforts to change our State.

Thank you once again and I look forward to seeing and hearing from you soon.

Liz