UTICA -- Rep. Sherwood Boehlert, the longest-serving New York Republican in Congress and outgoing chairman of the House Science Committee, said Friday he will retire from the office he has held since 1982.

Boehlert, 69, made his much-anticipated announcement in the historic Utica train station, surrounded by hundreds of friends, colleagues and family members.

Without the moderate Boehlert running, Democrats are hoping they have a shot at taking the district. President Bush only carried it with 53 percent of the vote in 2004 and barely squeaked by Al Gore there in 2000, 48 percent to 47 percent.

Boehlert is a leader of the small moderate Republican faction in Congress that has clashed in the past with Bush over such issues as global warming and spending for social programs. In recent years, that faction won some hard-fought legislative victories, but those battles have not endeared Boehlert to a number of powerful House Republicans.

For more on this story, including local reaction, read Saturday's edition of The Citizen.