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New York Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton told a crowd last Friday that she has not decided whether she will run for retiring U.S. Congressman Maurice Hinchey's  seat.  Lifton said she is seriously considering a run, but it will depend on what the NY-22 Congressional District looks like after redistricting.

"I've said from the beginning that I do want to look at it.  But we don't have the lines yet for the Congressional districts," she said.  "I don't believe that district that Congressman Hinchey had will survive.  It was an unusual district spanning half the state.  I think they're going to take that away and put in some more contiguous districts in the central part and in the Hudson area.  It's going to be a very different district."

After serving in the New York State Assembly for 18 years, Hinchey has served as Congressman since 1992.  He has been battling colon cancer since last April, and announced early this year that he would not run for another term.

New York State is losing two districts this year.  Some media are reporting a rumor that District 9, formerly held by Democrat Anthony Weiner who was disgraced in a scandal last year, will be eliminated.  Hinchey's retirement opened a path to cutting up its boundaries, which some say are the result of gerrymandering to insure a Democratic congressman would always be elected.  Governor Andrew Cuomo has threatened that he will veto the newly defined 213 legislative districts on the grounds that they favor parties already in power.


Lifton isn't the only Democrat waiting to see what the new district will look like.  126th State district Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo and Ulster County executive Mike Hein are also reportedly waiting for the new district boundaries to be settled before running.  Republicans George Phillips and Tom Engel have also expressed interest in running.

Some candidates are not waiting.  Hinchey aide Dan Lamb has begun preparing for a campaign.  Ithaca attorney Leslie Danks Burke announced in early February that she would run.  This week she announced her campaign Web site is up and running.

"I'm pleased that the website will allow all to see my views on a range of issues, links to press coverage that we’ve received, and links to my Facebook and Twitter feeds,” Danks Burke said last Friday.  “I hope that people throughout this area will visit the site to learn more about my candidacy and the issues facing this region."


Lifton said the new districting plan should be out this week.  In a 'town hall' style meeting at Kendall last week she told about 50 residents that she will only run if she thinks it maks sense in the context of the new districting.

"It will be a very careful decision, largely based on the lines that come out," she said.  "(It will also be based on) whether it makes sense for me to run, and who else is running.  You have to look at it and see if it's a viable seat, whether it's something you can do.  I am still very happy in my work in the Assembly.  I feel like I am doing meaningful work.  It's interesting.  I still have energy for it."

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