With the help of two rogue Democrats, a group of state Republicans on Monday seized control of the New York State Senate in what many are calling a political coup.

With less than two weeks remaining in the current legislative session, leadership in Albany is now in political limbo.

Earlier in the day, Republicans in the State Senate say they seized power from State Senate Majority leader Malcolm Smith, a Democrat, and installed a bi-partisan coalition majority with the help of Democrats Pedro Espada Jr. of the Bronx and Hiram Monserrate of Queens.

Within an hour of the defection, Republicans anointed Dean Skelos of Long Island as the new Majority Leader, and Espada as President Pro Tempore.

In a released statement, Monserrate said, “I am a lifelong Democrat and remain a loyal Democrat. After today’s proceedings, I am proud to form a bi-partisan coalition that has elected the first Latino President pro Tem of the New York State Senate, my colleague, the Honorable Pedro Espada Jr. We look forward to conferencing with fellow Democrats to ensure that real reforms become a reality in the State of New York.”

Following the news, the Democrats walked out of the Senate Chamber, cutting off the power to the chamber lights and live television feed.

In a statement, a spokesman for Senator Malcolm Smith said, “This was an illegal and unlawful attempt to gain control of the Senate and reverse the will of the people who voted for a Democratic Majority. Nothing has changed, Senator Malcolm A. Smith remains the duly elected Temporary President and Majority Leader. The real Senate Majority is anxious to get back to governing, and will take immediate steps to get us back to work.”

During a press conference at the State Capitol Monday evening, Smith reiterated that the vote was performed illegally, since it took place after they had gaveled out of session.

Smith also made no indication of when he plans to call the senate back into the chamber, where a repeat vote could possibly take place.

Meanwhile, the man behind the scenes of the deal — longtime political player and failed gubernatorial candidate Tom Golisano — is calling the move a historic victory for New York State residents.

Call it a coup, call it a devious plan to change leadership, but at the end of the day Democrats are out of power in the New York State Senate and Republicans were in control.

The coup throws into doubt the movement to legalize same-gender-marriage, one of the major policy issues still pending for the last two weeks of the regular session. Although passed in the Democrat-led Assembly, it is stalled in the Senate. Several Republicans and Sen. Ruben Diaz, a Bronx Democrat oppose the measure.

Another major issue has a hard deadline. A law giving the New York City mayor greater control of New York City schools is scheduled to expire at the end of the month unless the full Legislature acts. Senate Democrats have sought to take away some of Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s authority while maintaining overall mayoral control. But Bloomberg and the Senate’s Republican conference have been very close on policy and the billionaire mayor has funded many of their campaigns.

New York’s government is run by near absolute control of the majority party and its top leaders. Monday’s action would create the first coalition in power for at least 50 years.

Gov. David Paterson late tonight said he strongly objected to the move, saying “the last two weeks of session is not a time for campaigns.”

When asked by a reporter who the Senate Majority Leader is, Paterson responded: “Malcolm Smith is the Majority Leader”.

Bottom line: Although it appears that Democratic control of the state Senate has ended after just five months, the next few days may turn out to be a power-struggle in Albany.

(Sources: NY1 / WCBSTV / MyFoxNY / NBC New York)