Nick Reisman is reporting for State of Politics Sen. Robert Ortt is expected to be elected the next minority leader of the state Senate. His ascent is all but guaranteed now that his main competitor, Sen. Pat Gallivan, dropped his bid early in the day, June 19. "We must take back the legislative authority ceded by the current majority to ensure that all New Yorkers have a voice in their government. We start by taking back the Senate majority. We start by respecting all New Yorkers and every region of the state. We start by respecting employees and employers alike," Gallivan said in a statement. "We can only do this by working together as a unified conference." Ortt said he has the votes to win the post, replacing Senate Minority Leader John Flanagan. The Long Island Republican is resigning next week to work for a health care firm. Another rival for the job, Sen. Andrew Lanza, dropped his bid June 18, and endorsed Ortt. "I’m eager to unite our remarkable conference and work with Republicans from across our great state to fight for our party and our values. Hard-working taxpayers, small businesses, and families from all walks of life and every region will have a fierce ally in the Senate Republican Conference,” Ortt said in a statement. Read the full story at nystateofpolitics [dot] com.