John Cropley reports in the Daily Gazette that State Senator George Amedore announced Nov. 29 that he will not seek re-election in the 46th District. The Rotterdam-based Republican won the seat in the past three elections, after losing in 2012, and serving three terms in the state assembly before that. Republicans, after the 2010 census, drew lines for the 46th Senate District to win the seat, but lost in 2012 as more Democrats turned out to vote for Barack Obama for president that year. Now Amedore is faced with another presidential election year with a Democrat likely winning, and he has bowed out. Three Democrats have already announced campaigns for the seat: Jeff Collins of Woodstock, Michelle Hinchey of Saugerties, and Jeff Stark of Amsterdam. Another Democrat, Assemblyperson Angelo Santabarbara, of Rotterdam, said Nov. 29 that he might also run for the seat. Schenectady County Republican Committee Chairperson Chris Koetzle said Amedore gave county-level GOP chairs a little advance notice of his decision but they do not have another candidate at this point. “We’ve talked a few names but at this juncture we don’t have anybody we’re ready to settle on,” Koetzle said. The 46th Senate District includes Saugerties, and Greene and Schoharie counties. Read more about this story in the Daily Gazette.