ORANGE COUNTY –– NYS Senator Mike Martucci, who currently represents Sullivan County in the 42nd State Senate District, on Tuesday announced that he wouldn’t be seeking reelection.

The most recently drawn redistricting maps has Martucci, a Republican, and Democrat James Skoufis (who is the sitting State Senator in the 39th district), in the new NY-42.

Geographically the district is entirely in Orange County, with the exception of  the City of Newburgh and Villages of Walden and Montgomery. Skoufis has recently announced his candidacy for the new NY-42.

“When the redistricting process began and I declared I was running for re-election, the Senate District I petitioned in was completely different from the one that exists today,” said Martucci. “Due to the prolonged process that included maps from two sets of Independent Redistricting Commissioners, then Democrats in the Legislature, then outside groups, and finally State courts, we had no true idea what our district would end up looking like or who our opponent would be until this past Saturday morning.

“Anyone that has a family with young children knows that it’s important to have some degree of certainty,” he continued. “Therefore, I am not seeking re-election to the State Senate.”

Martucci said that stepping away from the race was a very difficult decision, adding that it has been “the honor of a lifetime” to serve communities across four counties.

He went on to praise his team for the work they accomplished together  in the past two years.

“We saved union jobs at the Goshen Secure Center, we delivered record school aid, reduced middle class taxes, passed a gas tax holiday, and stood shoulder to shoulder with the men and women of law enforcement on every single vote we took,” said Martucci. “We helped thousands of constituents and served as a true and honest voice for them in Albany in the face of corruption scandals and during a pandemic when many felt their freedoms were in danger and their government was not listening.”

He called his senate team a family, expressed his gratitude to them and said they were some of the most talented people he knows.

“Even though I am stepping aside, I want to be clear about one important fact — this seat has been in Republican hands for most of the last 50 years and I expect it to remain that way,” said Martucci. “I will continue to work as hard as always, right until the last day of my term, to do everything I can to assist my constituents and further the causes we all care about. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for all your support.”

As the Democrat previously reported, in the newly redrawn maps, Sullivan County will be in the 51st State Senate District. This November, Republican incumbent Peter Oberacker and Democratic challenger Eric Ball, a trustee in the Village of Walton, will vie for the seat.