Senate Republicans are objecting to the designs that a federal magistrate drew up for the north country's congressional seat.

The inclusion of Saratoga, Washington and Warren counties "fails to respect the core of (Republican Rep. Chris Gibson's district) and the communities of interest that have formed around it," the Republicans' lawyers write.

Mr. Gibson, of Kinderhook, would only keep 44 percent of his current district because of the population losses there. Those counties would go to the district of Rep. Bill Owens, D-Plattsburgh. The proposed district stretches from Watertown, includes Lewis and St. Lawrence counties, and runs along the Canadian border.

It brings up the question of whether incumbency should be considered at all. Common Cause, a good-government group, thinks not.

The Republicans bring up other objections, notably on Long Island and Western New York. They have only a few weeks to come to some kind of an agreement with Assembly Democrats and the governor if they want to draw the maps themselves.

Petitioning for June 26 primaries starts on March 20. The general election for congressional races is in November.

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