Posted on 10/26/2007 6:41:08 PM PDT by LdSentinal
ALBANY -- U.S. Rep. Michael McNulty, who has represented his Albany-based district since 1988, is stepping down at the end of this term.
McNulty's office wouldn't confirm the news, but several sources inside the Capital Region's Democratic organization, confirmed he has decided not to seek what would have been an 11th term in 2008.
Politicians across the Capital Region have received postcards inviting them to the Crowne Plaza for a noon event at which McNulty will discuss the ``future of the 21st Congressional District.''
In Washington, all while flashing an apologetic smile, McNulty said ``no,'' he wouldn't talk about his planned announcement. Pressed on whether he would be seeking reelection, McNulty would only say ``I have no comment now.''
McNulty, 60, ran for Congress when Sam Stratton stepped down amid health problems; ironically, that may be one of the reasons for McNulty's departure.
The congressman suffered from a bout of polio at age 2 and was hospitalized for about a year in the 1970s after being struck by a car. He now copes with post-polio syndrome, which, while painless, can cause weakness and fatigue that worsens with age.
McNulty uses a motorized cart to get around the Capitol and observers have noticed that it's been years since he's marched in local parades.
While McNulty was all but anointed for the seat in 1988 by then-Albany County Democratic Chairman Leo O'Brien, who also ran the party's vacancy committee, a replay of that smooth transition is unlikely. Since then, the district's Democrats have fractured into various factions, and along urban-suburban lines.
Names of possible successors were already making the rounds on Thursday.
The early Democratic list was lengthy: State Sen. Neil Breslin of Bethlehem; Assemblyman Ron Canestrari of Cohoes; Albany Mayor Jerry Jennings; former assemblyman and current state Energy Research and Development Authority head Paul Tonko of Amsterdam; Schenectady Mayor Brian Stratton; M. Tracey Brooks of Ravena, an aide to Hillary Clinton who ran a close race against former Republican Assemblyman Pat Casale in 2002; Shawn Morris, Albany's Common Council president; and Albany County District Attorney David Soares, who beat the party organization to win his post and has strong support from the Working Families Party.
McNulty's sister, Ellen McNulty-Ryan who is the mayor of Green Island village, also has been mentioned.
Based on name recognition, most observers at this early date say Jennings, Canestrari, and Stratton are the likeliest candidates and no one is ruling out a primary.
On the Republican side, newly elected Assemblyman George Amedore's name has come up, as has Assembly Minority Leader James Tedisco of Schenectady.
All of the potential candidates have pluses and minuses: Jennings may have the highest name recognition in the Albany area, where most of the district's voters live, but it's unclear how he would do in the more rural sections of Fulton and Montgomery counties. Breslin has his own network of support in the county Democratic party and the state Senate. Stratton also has name recognition and a family history his late father, Sam Stratton, represented the district before McNulty. Brooks could benefit from Clinton's wealthy and well-connected campaign organization, which also helped put 20th District Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand, another scion of Albany's Democratic politics, in office.
Canestrari is the Assembly majority leader, has fund-raising experience and is said to have good relations with the various wings in the fractious Albany County Democratic machine. The county has half of the district's voters.
Morris is also well-connected; her husband John Wellspeak is a top aide to Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. Tonko is well-known from his days in the Assembly, and living in Amsterdam could draw votes from the district's western edge, although he might have to leave the NYSERDA job since that agency is eligible for federal funds, which could put him in conflict with federal law.
Of the Republicans whose names have surfaced, Amedore, a home builder, drew lots of publicity, first for his appearance in the Extreme Makeover TV show, and then for running a savvy and energetic campaign in a traditionally Democratic district.
Tedisco, already recognized among Republicans, does well in Democratic Schenectady, and has been making a name for himself lately for taking on Democratic Gov. Eliot Spitzer over a controversial plan to give drivers licenses to illegal immigrants.
McNulty has been in elective office since 1969 when he became town Supervisor in Green Island at age 22, the youngest in New York. Emerging from a Green Island political dynasty, with relatives who served as tax collectors, mayors and village trustees, McNulty went on to the Assembly in 1982.
He was hand-picked in 1988 by then-Albany County Democratic Chairman Leo O'Brien for Stratton's seat, and since then has handily beaten back Republican challengers every two years, thanks in part to an enrollment margin in which Democrats outnumber Republicans by roughly 170,000 to 121,000 voters.
Last year, he defeated Warren Redlich with 78 percent of the vote.
McNulty's most serious challenge may have been from within his own party, when Lee Wasserman, representing the Democratic party's progressive/liberal wing, launched a primary challenge in 1996.
Ho Chi Kerry won this district by a 55-43% margin in 2004.
‘Bout time we got a retirement from the other side.
Repbulicans have represented Albany in Congress for all of four years since 1910.
Maybe he got tired of lying.
How can that be when this fellow has been in for 10 terms?
Even if redistricting changed in 2002, it’s got to be at least 5....
You misunderstand. Since 1910, Democrats have contolled the seat for 94 years. In other words, it's a little difficult to win.
Polls must be starting to shift against the ‘rats.....
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