Is the 46th Senate District race officially a race?

The district — sometimes called the “sixty-third” district because it was drawn by Senate Republicans during the redistricting process — lies on the outskirts of the Albany area.

Republicans had assumed the race would be relatively easy, but with two so-called Super PACs getting involved — including one funded with $250,000 from George Soro’s middle son Jonathan — Democrats have more than a modicum of confidence that the race is moving in to the toss up category.

Fueling that possible perception is Republican Senate candidate George Amedore, a state assemblyman and home builder, launching a new TV ad that’s critical of Democrat Cecilia Tkaczyk.

The ad notes Tkaczyk is receiving help from the super PACs because of her support for a public financing system, which the ad says could cost up to $200 million in taxpayer matching dollars.

The ad also comes after Amedore himself released his own campaign-finance reform plan that tightens regulations and calls for greater disclosure. One of the PACs blasted the proposal for falling short of a public financing system.

Tkaczyk is a guest on the show tonight, who says she hasn’t rceived much criticism for the support from the outside interests. Also worth noting that I had to double check the spelling of “Tkaczyk” in part because the ad spells it wrong.

Update: Tkaczyk spokesman Gary Ginsburg responds.

“George Amedore should be ashamed of himself. In a failed attempt to deflect attention from his extremist, anti-woman, anti-middle class voting record and views, he is now spreading lies about Cecilia Tkaczyk. The truth is very simple: Cecilia does not support raising taxes, fees or tolls and Cecilia agrees with Governor Cuomo that New York’s campaign finance situation is out of control and needs to be reformed. George Amedore spent his three terms in the Assembly raising taxes on the middle class, voting against raising the minimum wage and voting against women’s rights and dignity. The voters understand who George Amedore really is, an extreme conservative whose voting record and views have no place in the State Senate and no place in New York State.”

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