Posted on 08/30/2004 6:33:02 AM PDT by presidio9
A Wall Street public relations executive, who worked for both Alfonse D'Amato and the late John Heinz in the U.S. Senate, is preparing to challenge Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's 2006 re-election bid.
A major problem for Adam Brecht, however, is that major New York Republicans - not to mention rank-and-file voters - don't seem to have a clue who he is.
"I know nothing about this guy," said Bill McGahay, executive director of the state GOP.
Brecht hopes to remedy that lack of recognition by making the rounds this week at the Republican National Convention in New York City. The openly gay liberal Republican is also running a full-page ad in Hamptons magazine aimed at piquing the curiosity of the rich and famous who summer on the east end of Long Island.
"There are a lot of money movers and shakers out there and media movers and shakers out there," the youthful Brecht said last week.
Brecht plans to create an exploratory committee after this fall's election to determine if enough money can be raised to take on Clinton.
"Obviously, money is the most important thing the exploratory committee is looking at," Brecht said.
Brecht comes from a wealthy area in suburban Philadelphia - he is descended from the inventor of FM radio and quit his PR job this year to manage money left him by his late mother - but said he can't afford to finance the race himself and hopes his Wall Street contacts help.
During the Democratic National Convention in Boston last month, Clinton vowed she would win re-election and would "raise whatever money I need to raise." Clinton said she raised $45 million for her 2000 race and expected to have to raise at least that much again.
Brecht said Clinton would be a tough challenge.
"She badly needs to win that race because she's using New York as her waiting room for returning to the White House," he said, echoing the sentiments of many Republicans that the former first lady has her heart set on running for president.
The potential Republican challenger said Clinton's "distraction" has hurt when it comes to delivering for New York.
"She's been a better celebrity than a senator," he said.
Nonetheless, Brecht conceded "there is a lot of star power" in Clinton's corner.
Given speculation that former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani or Republican Gov. George Pataki might challenge Clinton in 2006, there could also be star power on the GOP side.
"If one of the big brand names of the Republican Party stepped forward, I'd definitely step aside," Brecht said. "I could never bring to the campaign what Giuliani or Pataki would bring."
However, Brecht said: "My sense is that neither of them will run."
Brecht, who grew up in a Democratic household but became a Republican when Ronald Reagan ran for president, moved to New York City at 17 to study political science at New York University. He took a year off between his sophomore and junior years to work for Heinz.
"He was very intense, very cerebral," Brecht recalled. "He was very dedicated."
Brecht also remembers the late Pennsylvania Republican's wife, Teresa, who is now married to Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry, swinging by the Capitol in her Volvo to pick up her billionaire husband after work. "She was always very nice," Brecht said.
After graduating from NYU, Brecht worked for D'Amato for three years.
"He was a great boss (who) would answer any question. ... I got my feet wet in New York politics working for him," the former aide said.
Brecht then spent more than a decade working in public relations, making headlines last year when he started a campaign to raise private funds to keep open New York City firehouses threatened by budget cuts. The effort stalled after Mayor Michael Bloomberg refused to accept the money.
Two years ago, Brecht suffered personal tragedy when his only sibling, an older brother just two years his senior, committed suicide.
While pressing traditional Republican themes such as making permanent President Bush's tax cuts, Brecht also wants a federal commitment to curing cancer and AIDS by 2050 and funding the effort, in part, by getting rid of NASA and leaving space exploration to the private sector. He would also set up a system under which people could donate surplus prescription drugs to pill banks which would then supply them for free to the poor.
On the subject of gay marriage he will only say he supports states granting rights to same-sex couples.
Brecht said if he doesn't get the GOP nod to challenge Clinton in 2006, he doesn't plan to fade from the political scene.
"I'm pretty young. I'm 37 years old and I can stick around for a while," he said.
This leaves an interesting picture in my mind...
Time for a good conservative INDEPENDENT to challenge Hillary and walk away with the seat.
This guy is no more a Republican than Kerry.
That's an idea.
"I know nothing about this gay"
Rudi! Rudi! Rudi! in 2006.
Is he going to wear his own pants suit?
Rosie O'Donnells evil twin sister?
the FAG vs the HAG!
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