State Sen. John Flanagan will not run for re-election, he announced Wednesday.
“The opportunity to serve the public for virtually all of my adult life has enriched every aspect of my life, and so it is a with a heavy but extremely proud heart that I announce today that I will not be seeking re-election to the New York State Senate. The wide array of emotions I am experiencing in making this decision are balanced by knowing that I am making the best decision for me and for my family,” he said.
The Northport Republican, who is State Senate majority leader, has served 16 years in the State Assembly, and 18 years in the State Senate. He is 58 years old.
Since he declined the nomination in the period designated, a party committee to fill vacancies will choose who will run for the seat.
“The timing of this announcement is not particularly ideal, but I am making it now because of the constraints of the political calendar that guides our elections. Our great State is clearly in a time of crisis and now more than ever we need leaders to guide our public policy as true representatives of our taxpayers and constituents.
“I fully intend to apply the same diligence and work ethic as the Leader of our Republican Conference as I have since I was first elected Leader in 2015. We have recruited top-tier candidates in races all across the State, and ensured our Conference has the right messaging to succeed. I look forward to continuing to be part of that process as our Conference navigates delicate and challenging budget issues and finishing our legislative session. Our residents and my constituents deserve no less.”
Among other work, Flanagan most recently has been advocating for the rollback of a state law that banned stores from single-use plastic bags, citing concerns that the reuse of bags could contribute to the spread of the coronavirus.
This story will update