Via Liz, the field just cleared in the crucial SD-15 race against incumbent Senator and anti-choice nutball Serph Maltese.

Democratic sources confirm Albert Baldeo, who came within some 800 votes of ousting veteran Republican Sen. Serphin Maltese in 2006, will throw his support to the Democratic establishment candidate, Councilman Joe Addabbo, this afternoon and stop campaigning.

Techincally speaking, Baldeo can't officially drop out of the race since it's too late to remove his name from the primary ballot.

The formal announcement will be made at 3 p.m. at Baldeo's law offices on Liberty Avenue. Also expected to attend are Addabbo, Senate Minority Leader Malcolm Smith, Rep. Greg Meeks and Queens Democratic Chairman Joe Crowley.

This is not good news for Maltese, who is one of the Democrats' top targets as they try to take control of the Senate from the GOP this fall. Baldeo had threatened to remain in the general election on a third party line, which could have made a difference in a contest that's expected to be very close.

Sweet. Personally, while I'm not fond of any republican Senator, I'd suggest that Serph Maltese is the most odious toad in the entire legislature. He's probably the biggest enemy of women's rights in the legislature, and despite the fact that the "Right to Life" movement in this state is practically moribund, he still manages to be their tool. That deserves a special level of loathing.