Sen. Suzi Oppenheimer (D-Mamaroneck) will not run for re-election and will retire at the end of her term after 28 years in the New York State Senate.

Oppenheimer, 77,  writes on her website the decision came because she learned she will need extensive shoulder replacement surgery:

“It had always been my plan to seek re-election in November and continue to serve the people of this district.  When considering my responsibilities as Senator, the extensive effort that will go into rehabilitation and physical therapy following my surgery, and the added work of the hard fought campaigns I always wage, it became clear to me that I could do only two of those three important tasks.”

Already there is speculation that the race for the seat, an important Democratic stronghold, will become a contest  between Assesmblyman George Latimer, a Democrat from Rye, and Bob Cohen, a Republican who lost to Oppenheimer in 2010 by about 700 votes.

Links:

• Albany Watch (from LoHud.com)
• Capitol Confidential
• City Room
• State of Politics
• The Caucus (NYT)
• The Daily Politics
• The Empire Page
• The Politicker

More coming