Ball Departure Opens Door for Murphy Senate Run

By David Propper and Rick Pezzullo

The surprising announcement by State Senator Greg Ball (R,C,I/Patterson) on Friday that he would not be running for any political office this year has thrust Yorktown Councilman Terrence Murphy into the spotlight as the leading Republican to replace Ball.

Murphy, who maintained he learned of Ball’s decision when the 36-year-old senator released a video Friday morning but had been told about a month ago to prepare for the possibility of Ball stepping away, said he was “cautiously optimistic” about receiving the blessing of the Westchester County GOP Committee Monday night.

Former State Assemblyman Robert Castelli has also announced his intentions to seek the Republican nod but Ball threw his support behind Murphy.

“It’s an opportunity of a lifetime to have such a dynamic senator leave and have an open seat and he decides to tap you as the best guy to fill his shoes. You either take it or you lose it,” Murphy said. “I’m really excited about it. I’m not going to abandon Yorktown, that’s for sure. I live here, I work here, I grew up here.”

Murphy, a chiropractor and proprietor of Murphy’s restaurant in Yorktown, was elected to a second four-year term on the Yorktown Town Board in November. In 2011, he ran unsuccessfully for a seat on the Westchester County Board of Legislators.

“I think I’ve done a fairly good job and I’d like to take it up a notch to a higher level,” he said. “I’m very optimistic that a lot of this work we started, as a state senator I will continue to watch over and follow through.”

Ball said if Murphy hadn’t expressed an interest in seeking state office he would have run again to keep the seat out of the Democrats’ hands. “Until a month ago, (Republicans) did not have a replacement,” Ball said. “I decided over two years during redistricting not to run this term for this seat.”

In his video announcement, Ball said, “It is time now to return to the private sector and even maybe find some time to raise a family.”

Not only did he decide not to stay in the Senate but Ball also opted not to go for the Putnam County Executive position, which he said he was interested in and would have led to a primary election against incumbent Republican MaryEllen Odell. Reports surfaced that Ball has been investigated for misusing campaign by the now defunct Moreland Commission.

Ball stated the Moreland Commission, which was eyeing him for personal use of campaign funds, had no impact on his decision. Ball spent $23,000 on retail and other stores, but Ball said it was for campaign events. He said the investigation has not validity and there is no follow up investigation from it.

“The Moreland Commission was set up to intimidate the legislature by governor (Andrew Cuomo) to pass public financing for campaigns as well as other things,” Ball said. “Even the Moreland Commission suggests nothing was illegal or unethical so it is what it is but it didn’t factor into my decision.”

He also added donors have continued to support him and any suggestions that certain donors have pulled back is a “lie.”

Though confident he would have defeated Odell in a primary, Ball said running for the county executive post was not the right fit in his life at the moment. As for bypassing another run for senate, Ball claims he told Republican leaders his previous election in 2012 would be his final, but the complication was finding a suitable Republican to run for the seat.

He also noted by announcing at such late date his intentions it prevented a large number of Democrats and Republicans from making a run for that 40th Senate seat. The sole Democrat running is Justin Wagner, who lost to Ball in 2012.

As it stands now, only Odell and Democrat Sam Oliverio are running for Putnam county executive. Odell said she doesn’t believe the county needed a “chaotic” primary that would divide Republicans and Putnam overall. She added she’s confident she would have beaten Ball in a primary.

“I’m definitely looking forward to being the county executive of the county that I grew up in, and raised my family in for the next few years,” Odell said.

Meanwhile, Oliverio said he believes Ball would have beaten Odell in primary and then would have been very difficult to beat head-to-head in the general election. He believes his chances of earning the county executive position increased “100 fold” with Ball out of the picture.

Oliverio also said he’s hoping Ball, if not outwardly supporting him, would at least stay neutral in the race.

“I think knowing the senator he would probably join the campaign as we got closer saying he is in favor of candidacy,” Oliverio said.

Ball said even though he worked hard to help Odell get elected the first time, he’s been disappointed in the direction the county has gone in under her leadership. But he when asked if he thought Oliverio would make a better county executive, Ball refused to give a clear answer. He also didn’t give an answer when asked if he would voice support for either candidate

When asked what it would be like to leave the public spotlight, which Ball always seemed to embrace, he said he’s “happier right now than I have been in months, if not years.”

While Ball said he certainly would consider a return to higher public office one day, he didn’t commit to continuing to reside in New York State. For a guy who came from a blue-collar family, he said he’s proud of what he’s achieved during his eight years in the Assembly and Senate.

“All options are open,” Ball said. “Everything at this point in life is gravy now because I’ve accomplished much more than I ever should have, in my opinion.”