Another Republican joins race for 39th District seat

Orange County Legislator Michael Anagnostakis has entered the race for the state Senate seat being vacated by Republican William Larkin Jr.

Anagnostakis, who lives in the town of Newburgh, launched his campaign Wednesday, becoming the second Republican to enter the race for the 39th District seat. The other is town of Stony Point Councilman Thomas Basile, who announced his bid on Saturday.

On the Democratic side, state Assemblyman James Skoufis has said he is considering running.

The 39th Senate District includes the Ulster County towns of Plattekill and Marlborough, central and eastern Orange County and the northern tip of Rockland County.

Larkin, 90, announced last week that he is retiring after four decades in state government. The Cornwall resident has been a senator since January 1991 and was a state assemblyman from January 1979 through December 1990.

Larkin has endorsed Basile to succeed him.

Larkin is one of five Republicans to announce they will leave the state Senate at the end of this year. The others are John Bonacic, whose district includes parts of Ulster, Delaware, Sullivan and Orange counties; Kathy Marchione, whose district includes all of Columbia County; Tom Croci, of Long Island; and John DeFrancisco, who represents pat of the Syracuse area.

Republicans currently hold a one-vote majority in the Senate.

Larkin, 90, announced last week that he is retiring after four decades in state government.