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Bruno Won't Seek Re-Election
Karen DeWitt
ALBANY, NEW YORK
(2008-06-23)
State Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno has announced that he will not be seeking reelection. In a statement, Bruno says after 32 years in office, 14 of them as Majority Leader, it's time to move on.
Senator Bruno issued a statement saying that "timing in life is everything", and that he's decided it's time to go. The 78-year-old Senator has been under federal investigation for two years, but Governor David Paterson, after a private meeting with the Senator, said he did not think that was the reason for Bruno's decision not to seek reelection in November.
"I think that it is in some ways it is a sad day for Albany," said Paterson. The governor, who said he considers Bruno a friend, said he always found the Senator be "forthright" and "direct" with an "appealing personality".
The usually loquacious Bruno did not speak to reporters. Republican Senators who attended a private meeting with Bruno said they were not at this time picking a new majority leader, but it was unclear how long Bruno would remain in the post. The Senator says he'll remain in office through December 31.
A statement from the State Democratic Party appeared to gloat a bit at the Senator's decision to leave office. Republicans are hanging on to a slim two seat majority in a year when democrats are expected to do well at the polls. A statement from party chair June O'Neill compared Bruno's situation to the gambling song made famous by Kenny Rogers. "You gotta know when to hold em and when to fold em," O'Neill quoted. "Joe Bruno looked across the table and saw we had a royal flush."
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