State Senator Joseph Griffo (R-47) has been named the Deputy Minority Leader of the New York State Senate. Senate Republican Leader John Flanagan made the announcement Friday morning. Griffo was elected to the Senate in 2006 and has risen in the party’s leadership over the years, having severed recently as the Chairman of the Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committees. He lost those positions when the GOP lost their majority in the Senate as a result of the recent election.

As second in command for the party, Griffo will run floor operations for the Republicans in the legislative session which starts in two weeks. The 47th State Senate District, which elected Griffo, includes the Mohawk Valley and much of Northern New York State. Prior to his election to the State Legislature, Griffo had served as the Mayor of Rome and Oneida County Executive.

Griffo is not the only local Republican member of the State Senate to get a promotion. James Seward (R-50) has been named to become the ranking member on the State Senate Finance Committee. One of Seward’s main responsibilities in that job will be to put together the opposition’s response to Governor Cuomo’s budget proposal.