State Sen. Darrel Aubertine will not run for the 23rd Congressional District seat soon to be vacated by U.S. Rep. John McHugh’s departure to serve as Secretary of the Army.

Aubertine, D-Cape Vincent, released a statement Thursday saying he has a duty to his Senate constituents and would not seek the House seat in the heavily Republican district.

“My priority must continue to be the work I have started in the state Senate, representing Oswego, Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties,” he said. “My commitment is to the people of the 48th Senate District and has been all along. Before I could even consider the possibility of serving another eight counties, I had a duty to finish out this year’s session.”

“While he’s always considered the seat, he’s never sought this,” said Aubertine spokesman Drew Mangione. “This really came down to talking with friends, family and staff.”

Aubertine was the target of TV and radio attack ads from the National Republican Congressional Committee this week that emphasized the size of the state budget passed by the Legislature in April.

“National Republicans have demonstrated their belief that party registration matters more than the issues by spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to attack and vilify me,” Aubertine said in the statement. “They never mentioned the important issues we care about here in the 23rd, whether it’s our military and Fort Drum, border security and international trade, agriculture, energy and the economy of the future, or rural health care.”

He added: “This seat in Congress belongs to the people who live in these 11 counties, not any elected official or political party.”

Republicans in the district have tapped Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava as their candidate for the House seat.

Aubertine’s decision not to run brings some relief to Senate Democrats. If Aubertine had won the House seat, Democrats could have faced a stiff challenge to keep his Senate seat in the chamber, which is back to a 32-30 split following the Senate coup crisis.

Two other Senate Democrats, Kevin Parker and Hiram Monserrate, are facing felony assault charges that could cost them their seats if they are convicted, but their districts are considered solidly Democratic

Source: Times Union