Long Island Sen. Caesar Trunzo, who, at 81 is the Senate's oldest member, said he will seek another term, adding: "I'm going to continue running."
Sen. Andrew Lanza, who some speculated might reconsider his decision not to a run for retiring Rep. Vito Fossella's seat, said Bruno's announcement will have no impact on his plans.
"All the reasons I originally discussed for my decision still apply," Lanza said, citing wanting to be closer to his young family, the "toxic climate" of Washington, D.C., and a greater ability to deliver for Staten Island as a state senator.
Lanza said he had re-thought a congressional run after the death Sunday morning of Frank Powers, but ultimatey decided against it.
Sen. Joseph Robach, a Democrat-turned-Republican and a top target of the Senate Democrats this fall, said he too will seek re-election. He also downplayed the lack of an upstate leader.
"The leader has to be responsive to his membership," Robach said, adding that most of the GOP conference hails from upstate.
Sen. John Bonacic, an Orange County Republican who was the only senator to call for Bruno to step down from his leadership post after he revealed in December 2006 the FBI investigation of his outside business interests, said he, too, will run.
Bonacic, in fact, said the conference might be better off without Bruno.
"I see this as an opportunity for our conference," he said. "We have to get away the past politics."
I can't imagine Robach and Bonacic bowing out, but anything is possible. I don't believe Trunzo, at least at this point. He certainly could run, but with Bruno out I don't think anyone could see it as anything but bad news for the Senate GOP. Lanza is an interesting case because he would make a strong candidate for NY-13 but didn't run because he was asked by Bruno to stay in the Senate.
One thing I have learned in politics is that talk is cheap. Trunzo might say he's running today but in a week will he feel the same way?
We'll see. These are only four senators, two of which weren't really being mentioned as senators who might not run for reelection. But anything is possible.
