Want to run for New York State Govermor?
George Marlin is being mentioned by high-ranking Conservatives.
Carl Paladino has been encouraged by Tom Golisano.
Rick Lazio was supposed to be the candidate.
And now Steve Levy has seemingly been crowned by the State GOP chairman.
I personally experienced the misadventure of Pierre Rinfret's selection in 1990 ('the horror, the horror"), working the New York GOP convention in Rye that year.
"It was said that he was chosen after 19 other potential candidates refused to run, and that his name was chosen almost at random, from some politico's rolodex."
Rinfret's nomination was presented to the public in a side lobby of the hotel, almost as if the Republicans wanted to get it over before anyone objected (or Rinfret escaped the building).
With State Republican Chairman Ed Cox now declaring Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy his candidate, Republicans throughout New York must be feeling as if their own leadership has left them behind.
Levy was a Democrat until a few days ago. Though touted by a cross-section of Conservatives in Suffolk County, New York State Conservative Chairman Mike Long -- who has been supporting Rick Lazio -- told Daily Politics that he isn't part of this cabal:
"I believe it's insulting to me what Steve is doing - whether it's his idea of Ed Cox's - by trying to intimidate us to back off," Long said. "I initially wanted to work closely with Ed Cox. Apparently, while we were supposed to be working closely, he was out busy recruiting Steve Levy to run for governor."
Rick Lazio needs to fire Arthur Finkelstein. If Lazio doesn't understand why, he shouldn't be running for governor.
I attended a wonderful gathering for Lazio in Eastchester, home of former State Republican Chairman Tony Colavita, but we all only had less than a day's notice from the Lazio campaign. That's the mark of a poorly run campaign -- and is it any wonder than the State GOP chairman is searching for another candidate?
Maybe if the State GOP was spending less time talking to a Democrat, a Republican could be found to run against Andrew Cuomo.
Dan Collins of The Huffington Post called it pathetic.
"There haven't been any statewide Republican stars since George Pataki. And if George Pataki is your idea of a star ... A I said, it's pathetic. Michael Bloomberg was/is a phony Republican. Rudy Giuliani was one for the first and better half of his political career. Mort Zuckerman, the Daily News publisher, was one for the three minutes that he contemplated running for the Senate."
Is it a repeat of 1990, where no one wants to run? Or does this have more to do with New York State Republican Committee opting not to talk to certain candidates over others?
There are plenty of quality candidates to choose from; mayors of large and mid-sized cities, county executives, state senators, town supervisors and even a few effective members of the assembly who have the gravitas to propel a statewide ticket.
I'm not sure if Ed Cox is overwhelmed (a lot of well-intended leaders have found themselves inundated with new candidates this year), misguided or just unwilling (or unable) to make such a powerful decision as a leader.
But Mike Long has made the same mistakes, particularly with Pataki, and a treacherous number of Republican and Conservative county leaders have ruined a laundry list of multi-county legislative races for 20 years now.
Fred Dicker of the New York Post noted the irony.
Who would have thought the looming GOP primary would make Democrats in general, and Andrew "I'm still not ready to announce yet" Cuomo in particular, seem like old hat and a bore?
Gabe Pressman of NBC called it Machiavellian.
"Levy had choreographed his departure from the Democratic party efficiently. A succession of Republican county chairmen, quickly fell in line. He was endorsed by John Jay Lavalle of Suffolk County. Queens GOP chair Phil Ragusa. who had endorsed Lazio in January, switched to Levy. And so did the Bronx Republican leader, Jay Savino."
Pressman is reporting that Levy is also supported by John Faso, who ran for governor four years ago.
But why would Faso facilitate a rush to a Democrat, undoubtedly undermining his own fundraising prowess for Republicans?
I somehow doubt Faso is behind Levy, though it sadly smatters of the internal party divisiveness that plagued Jim Tedisco's run -- where the failure of rejected 20th C.D. aspirants Betty Little and Faso to support the upstate Assemblyman affected the outcome.
Levy boasts of $4 million. Lazio had nearly $2 million on hand but Lazio now has $637,000.
Fox News called him a "new" Republican:
On social issues, Levy says he is pro-choice but is against partial birth abortion and on the topic of gay rights that he is in favor of civil unions but marriage should be between a man and a woman. When asked about the healthcare bill, Levy said this is “not the right bill.”
Tea Party leaders met with Levy last week. Some walked out. Others expressed disappointment over his dodging of issues. His failure to articulate support of Second Amendment rights also will doom him with Conservatives statewide and most of upstate New York north of White Plains.
Levy appeared finished on arrival last week. Why is Cox risking the integrity of his leadership by floating a Republican in name only whose signature on the registration is still drying?
Enter Carl Paladino in Buffalo, who has $10 million dollars ready for a run and the backing of former Independence Party leader Tom Golisano.
Paladino could be announcing in less than two weeks.
Conservatives are meeting in Brooklyn today, debating a long list of statewide, state senate and assembly races.
One name that will be floated by Conservatives is George Marlin, a party member who doesn't need permission to cause trouble as a third party candidate. Another will be U.S. Senate candidate Joe DioGuardi, a Republican who D.C. powerbrokers would prefer to see pushed out of the Gillibrand race in deference to Dan Senor
The difference between Conservative Chair Mike Long and Cox is that Long has a lifetime of leading (and managing) maverick independent candidates whose credentials seized statewide posts.
Love them now or hate them, Al D'Amato with his run in 1980 and Pataki with his challenge to Mario Cuomo in 1994 paved a path to victory. Mike Long can also take credit for managing Jim Buckley's third party win as a Conservative in 1970 -- and nearly knocking Republicans in New York down to third party status with Herb London in 1990.
In other words, whatever the Chairman says this afternoon in Brooklyn should be heeded by all sides.
The Buffalo News reported Tom Palandino asking Conservatives to wait.
This man looks like he is for real.
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