ALBANY - New York Republicans have an age issue.
Ten of the party's 30 state senators re-elected last week are retirement age or past it, including Owen Johnson of West Babylon, Kenneth LaValle of Port Jefferson and Carl Marcellino of Syosset.
Such a graying of the Senate GOP, together with the loss of majority status and perks come January, has led some experts to forecast resignations or refusals to run again in 2010. Should either happen, Republicans' drive to retake the chamber before a crucial redrawing of legislative districts in 2012 would be made more difficult.
Democrats won control of the 62-member Senate for the first time in 43 years Tuesday. Whoever is in power after the 2010 census will be able to gerrymander districts to maintain their position for the next decade. The GOP has used this reapportionment process for 20 years to combat Democrats' five-to-three advantage in voter registration.
Republicans lost their only power base in state government when Democrats beat Sen. Caesar Trunzo, 82, of Brentwood and Sen. Serphin Maltese, 75, of Middle Village, Queens. Keeping this generation from exiting the Capitol will be a challenge for GOP leader Sen. Dean Skelos of Rockville Centre, given the lowly position of minority members in the legislature.
"Why would you now want to come all the way from Long Island to Albany to be in the minority?" said Barbara Bartoletti, legislative director for the League of Women Voters. "Minority lawmakers have smaller offices, less staff and far less pork [legislative grants]. They don't chair committees and are ignored by lobbyists when it comes to campaign donations."
The inequity between majority and minority conferences is stark. To take just one measure, Republicans had 733 bills adopted by both houses in the first eight months of this year, compared to 42 for Democrats, according to data compiled by the New York Public Interest Research Group.
Said Bartoletti: "I assume by next summer you would definitely see some retirements in the ranks of Republicans."
Marcellino, 65, won't be among them. "This is a new world for me," he said. "But I was elected to serve for two years ... and I'll keep my word."
The five Republican senators who are over age 70, including 79-year-old Johnson, also all said they wouldn't be quitting.
"Unless the good Lord says 'Come home,' I'll not only serve this term but I will hope to be a candidate in November 2010," said Sen. William Larkin Jr., 80, of New Windsor.
First elected in 1990, Larkin represents both his party's strength and weakness. He won 62 percent of the vote in his Hudson River Valley constituency despite a landslide by Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, which may have helped defeat Senate incumbents in Queens and Suffolk. But Republican leaders admitted privately that should Larkin - or any well-known incumbent - step down, none of the likely successors have the popularity to dominate a special election.
Suffolk GOP chief Harry Withers dismissed prospects of early departures by the five senators representing portions of the county. But he said, "I think we would have to be concerned if they didn't run again in 2010 ... that's a possibility."
Said Senate GOP spokesman Mark Hansen: "None of our members are retiring."
Three of the senators interviewed appeared not to have accepted their new minority status, saying three rebel Democrats may support a Republican for majority leader when the Senate organizes on Jan. 7.
"I wouldn't come to the final conclusion that we won't be in the majority," said Sen. Frank Padavan, 74, of Jamaica. As of Friday night, his race against Democratic city councilman James Gennaro was still too close to call.
For LaValle, 69, losing the majority means no longer leading the Senate Higher Education Committee, his passion for years.
"This election has created a new day in Albany," he said. "The change in leadership will not deter me from following through on my priorities. I remain as energetic and committed as ever."
Seniority in the Senate
Republican state senators who are age 65 or over
Name / Hometown / Age / Years in Senate / Committee Chair / Retirement Plans
William Larkin Jr. New Windsor 80 18 Racing, Gaming & Wagering None
Owen Johnson West Babylon 79 36 Finance None
Thomas Morahan New City 77 10 Mental Health & Developmental Disabilities None
Hugh Farley Schenectady 76 32 Banks None
Frank Padavan Jamaica, Queens 74 36 NA None
Kenneth LaValle Port Jefferson 69 32 Higher Education None
Dale Volker Depew 68 34 Codes None
Elizabeth Little Queensbury 68 6 Local Government None
John Bonacic Mount Hope 66 10 Housing, Construction & Community Development Wasn't available to respond to survey
Carl Marcellino Syosset 65 14 Environmental Conservation None