New polls released Monday showed three Republican challengers leading Democratic incumbents in races that will help determine majority party control of New York’s 63-seat Senate.

The Siena College polls of likely voters showed Dutchess County Legislator Susan Serino leading Sen. Terry Gipson 52 to 40 percent in the mid-Hudson Valley.

In the Rochester area, retired broadcaster Rich Funke led Sen. Ted O’Brien 57 to 32 percent.

In a district spanning part of the upper Hudson and Mohawk valleys, the poll showed George Amedore leading Sen. Cecilia Tkaczyk 52 to 42 percent. Amedore, a former state assemblyman, lost to Tkaczyk two years ago by 18 votes.

The Senate Democrats questioned Siena’s numbers, saying they don’t square with their own.

“The Senate Republicans have poured millions into these campaigns and been up on TV, radio and mail spreading their misleading attacks and distortions,” said Mike Murphy, spokesman for the Senate Democratic Conference.

The polls, ranging from 460 to 471 registered voters surveyed last week, had margins of error of 4.5 or 4.6 percentage points.

“The takeaway from three new Siena College State Senate polls is that three first-term upstate Democrat incumbents are in serious jeopardy of losing their seats,” said Senate Republican Leader Dean Skelos. He said this is shaping up to be a year in which the Republicans again have a clear Senate majority.

The Republicans and a breakaway faction of Democrats have been controlling the Senate in a majority coalition. However, the leader of the Independent Democratic Conference has pledged to instead align with the mainstream Democrats next year.

That had appeared to have the Democrats collectively poised for control of the Senate, as well as continuing their hold on the Assembly and governor’s office, unless the Republicans pick up two seats.

(AP)