Democrats in New York flipped a New York Assembly seat on Tuesday, winning a seat that has been in GOP hands for nearly four decades.

Democrat Steve Stern, a former Suffolk County legislator, beat out Republican Janet Smitelli in the 10th Assembly District, a Long Island seat, with 59 percent of the vote, according to Daily Kos.

The district has been represented by a Republican since 1978.

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Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonButtigieg stands in as Pence for Harris's debate practice Senate GOP sees early Supreme Court vote as political booster shot Poll: 51 percent of voters want to abolish the electoral college MORE and former President Obama both won the district in the last two presidential elections, but the 18-point margin in Tuesday’s election is indicative of a growing blue wave in the area.

New York Democrats were optimistic about Stern's ability to flip the seat due to the high energy of Democratic voters and the fact that there are about 6,000 more registered Democrats than Republicans in the district, according to the Times Union.

Stern was backed by two major labor organizations, which his campaign also saw as a key to encouraging higher turnout during a special election.

Democrats in the state also saw a small victory in the Senate, winning two open seats to gain the majority of the chamber but not control due to a Democratic state senator who caucuses with the GOP.