By Howard Koplowitz
The borough's two Republican state senators said Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno's (R-Saratoga Springs) abrupt and unexpected announcement Monday that he would not seek re-election has no bearing on their chances to hold on to their seats.
Both state Sens. Frank Padavan (R-Bellerose) and Serphin Maltese (R-Glendale) are being targeted by Democrats in November in an attempt to wrest control of the Senate from Republicans, who hold a two-seat majority in the chamber. Former Gov. Eliot Spitzer was aggressive in his plans to overtake the Senate, but it remains unclear whether Gov. David Paterson will have the same zeal.
Bruno's pending retirement “doesn't affect me at all,” Padavan said. “We're running on our own record as we always have.”
Maltese said he “was surprised and shocked and disappointed,” by Bruno's announcement.
Bruno, 79, has been in office since 1976 and was elected majority leader by his Republican colleagues in 1995, becoming one of Albany's “three men in a room” that includes the governor and heads of the state Senate and state Assembly.
The triumvirate wields tremendous control over state government, including the responsibility to reach a compromise on the state's budget.
“After 32 years in office, I have decided that it is time to move on with my life and to give my constituents an opportunity for new representation and my colleagues in the Senate who have supported me an opportunity for new leadership,” Bruno said in a statement.
“He feels, obviously, at this stage in his life, it's time to move on,” Maltese said.
“I think it's a personal thing. You reach a certain point,” Padavan said, referring in part to the death of Bruno's wife caused by complications from dementia earlier this year.
Bruno said an FBI investigation looking into his financial dealings did not influence his decision, but the New York Post reported the agency took documents from his offices hours before he announced he would not seek re-election.
Maltese said Bruno “picked a fortuitous time” to retire because there would be “a seamless transition” with the campaign season set to begin.
Padavan said Bruno's retirement would not be an issue for Queens voters.
“What somebody does in another district 100 miles away is irrelevant,” he said. “You run on a record.”
There was speculation that Bruno's announcement would lead other older senators to follow him into retirement.
But Padavan, 73, and Maltese, 74, dismissed the idea.
“The older members are saying that they're all going to run again,” Maltese said, while Padavan called the notion “just wishful thinking by some people,” referring to the Democrats.
Both senators said Deputy Majority Leader Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre) is poised to replace Bruno.
Padavan said Skelos is a “hardworking” and “knowledgeable” senator who authored the state's Meghan's Law and was a former Medicaid inspector general.
Maltese said Bruno promised to give $1 million to his campaign and that Skelos would fulfill that pledge.
Reach reporter Howard Koplowitz by e-mail at hkoplowitz@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 173.
