Democratic NYS Senate coming soon to a district near you!

The most recent Siena Research Institute Poll was released today regarding the top five most contested races thus far for the NYS Senate. Below is a chart breaking down the percentages of each candidate.

The Republicans are currently enjoying a 30-31 majority in the NYS Senate

Bye bye Bruno…

Only four days after letters were sent by Democratic candidates to State Senate Republicans demanding that they support the property tax cap, Republican State Senator Joseph Bruno (SD-43) saw the writing on the wall and decided not to run for re-election. What this does is open up his seat for an unanticipated uncontested dog fight. It will actually draw attention away from other vital State Senate races such as the Trunzo (R) v. Foley/Dahroug (D) (SD-3), Padavan (R) v. Gennaro (D) (SD-11), Maltese (R) v. Addabbo/Baldeo (D) (SD-15), and Hannon (R) v. McElroy (D) (SD-06).

It looks like Bruno’s successor, Dean Skelos (R) (SD-9), is going to be voted in today by Senate Republicans over Thomas Libous (R) (SD-52). When Skelos becomes the majority leader, it’ll be the first time since 1995 that the Senate power will return to Long Island. It’s too bad that the Senate majority will be short lived for Republicans with the departure of Joe Bruno, since there is no reason for other State Senate GOP wall mounts to stick around.

To steal a line from Bob Dylan’s third album cover, “The Times They Are a-Changing”