Everyone Out of the Pool

In an effort to stanch the bleeding on the Republican side of the State Senate, Joe Bruno may be trying to dissuade some of his colleagues from leaping into the packed pool of pols seeking the GOP's gubernatorial nod. "Bruno is believed to be trying to persuade the four governor wannabes (Long Islanders Michael Balboni, John Flanagan and Kenneth LaValle, plus Raymond Meier of Oneida County) to run for re-election next year, knowing open seats are much harder to protect. Consider that Bruno, discussing the race for the 2006 Republican nomination for governor on WROW Tuesday, named every GOP hopeful - except his four Senate colleagues," the Syracuse Post-Standard reports. But considering the strength (and number) of other contenders vying to take on Eliot Spitzer in 2006, any attempt to scare off these relative small-fry seems a little redundant. (via Democracy in Albany)