June 23, 2008

Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno
Rumored to Not Seek Re-Election

In a shocking news story according to the Daily News blog from Liz Benjamin, Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno has decided to not seek re-election. We will keep you updated as the story unfolds.

The most bizarre year in New York politics keeps getting stranger.

Thanks to our colleague Shelly Nortz of The Coalition for the Homeless for sending this information.

(This is from the Daily News Blog of Liz Benjamin)

June 23, 2008
Bruno Won't Seek Re-Election (Updated x2)

Word is all over the Capitol. He reportedly just announced it to his conference.

It's confirmed. A high-ranking Senate staffer said:

"He will not run for re-election. It's still open as to whether he will serve out the term until Dec. 31 or leave. early."

Bruno, who has served in the Senate since 1976 and has been leader since early 1995, when he took power from Ralph Marino in a coup with then-newly-minted Gov. George Pataki's support, has been coy of late about whether he would run this fall.

He has been circulating petitions.

A Democrat, Brian Premo, who tried to challenge Bruno in 2006 but was knocked off the ballot, has already announced his intention to run this fall.

The two leading contenders to take over as leader, should Bruno decide to depart before the end of the year, are Sen. Dean Skelos, of Long Island, and Sen. Thomas Libous, of Binghamton.

There was no immediate word on the reasoning behind Bruno's decision. His outside business interests have been under investigation by the FBI since before December 2006 (that's when he formally broke the news to his conference - after they had re-election him leader).

The next question is: How many of the veteran GOP senators follow Bruno out the door? A number of then, including Owen Johnson, Caesar Trunzo and Jim Farley, are running for re-election largely because he asked them to stick around and fight to hold on to the majority.