Albany Watch

The new legislative maps are out this afternoon and it shows a myriad of changes to Hudson Valley seats in the Senate that could be advantageous in helping Republicans keep its slim majority.

As Gannett reported Tuesday, Sen. Greg Ball, R-Patterson, Putnam County is losing some of Dutchess and Putnam counties in the new 40th Senate District and picking up more of Westchester County.

Retiring Democratic Sen. Suzi Oppenheimer’s seat is picking the heavily sought-after town of Eastchester—a GOP-heavy town that was put into GOP Sen. Guy Velella’s district 10 years ago to help him win re-election from his Bronx home.

Velella’s district is now represented by Sen. Jeff Klein, D-Bronx, who under the new plan would lose much of the Westchester piece of his district.

Oppenheimer is retiring at year’s end and Republican Bob Cohen is planning to run for it after narrowly losing to her in 2010. He is likely to be challenged by Assemblyman George Latimer, D-Rye.

The move seems to make Oppenheimer’s seat a clear battleground for the November elections.

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