Posted on 08/11/2005 1:15:59 PM PDT by areafiftyone
Edward Cox, the Manhattan lawyer and son-in-law of the late President Richard Nixon, said Thursday he is not leaving the race for the Republican nomination to challenge Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's re-election bid next year.
``We're going to stay in this race,'' vowed Cox just one day after Jeanine Pirro, the Westchester County district attorney and apparent favorite of many party leaders, formally announced her candidacy.
``We'll support whoever the Republican nominee is, but we expect to be that nominee,'' Cox told The Associated Press.
Meanwhile, another prospective GOP challenger, former Yonkers Mayor John Spencer, told an Albany radio station he was also not quitting and was ready to go to a September 2006 Republican primary, if necessary.
``I'm staying in the race and I expect to get the Conservative (Party) line,'' Spencer told WROW-AM.
No Republican has won statewide office in New York without Conservative Party support since 1974.
Spencer said he could envision a scenario where Pirro could wind up as the Republican candidate while he would be on the Conservative Party line.
``I'll split the two liberals,'' Spencer said, referring to Pirro and Clinton.
``That would be the worst-case scenario, but it is an interesting scenario,'' he added.
Pirro's past support for abortion and gay rights, including her advocacy of civil unions, has not endeared her to state Conservative Party Chairman Michael Long.
Cox told the AP that in a conversation with Republican Gov. George Pataki in February, the governor had told him there were only two real candidates for the Senate nomination, Cox and Pirro. Pataki said Cox was the best Senate candidate, Nixon's son-in-law told the AP.
There was no immediate comment Thursday from Pataki.
Cox, like Spencer, said Pirro's candidacy was doomed to fail because she would not be able to bring the Conservative Party around. Cox, who said he is anti-abortion, predicted he could do that.
Cox and Pirro have both said that, in the end, they do not expect a Republican primary.
Cox, who is married to Patricia ``Tricia'' Nixon, told the AP that polling he has done found that his relationship to the late president was not a liability with New York voters. Tuesday was the 31st anniversary of Nixon's resignation from the presidency over the Watergate scandal.
While Cox and Spencer were vowing to stay in the race, Pirro was on Day 2 of a three-day announcement tour with stops in Rochester, Syracuse and in southern Saratoga County where she was to meet with some area county GOP leaders.
Also eyeing the GOP nomination is William Brenner, a tax attorney from Sullivan County.
Ed, don't be stupid. Pirro is willing to take one for the team on this one. She can mortally wound Hillary! Hillary will ignore you, Ed. All quitting will do is give you the next 15 months of your life back, 'cause you won't be a Senator, either way.
They can't bow out the next day...they need a little time to save face..
Pirro sux, but she wont ever be president. And the others are making it hard for her to take out billary.
Wishy washy.
Smart candidates have to learn that they do not have to answer stupid questions from the media. They have to state their position and say what it is they are standing for.
Pirro is on a roll. Listening to her now on Hannity wabc.
``We'll support whoever the Republican nominee is, but we expect to be that nominee,'' Cox told The Associated Press.
There's something about a candidate who refers to himself in the plural that makes my, (or should I say our) neck hair stand on end.
A primary fight. Just what we need.
(In the immortal words of an acquaintance from long ago, ) What's this 'we' business, Ed? You got a French turd in your back pocket or something?
I don't know about this guy, but Jeanine will open a can of whoop @ss on Hitlery. That's reason enough to support her.
Cox isn't quitting the race. That's certainly a relief. I was afraid there wouldn't be an upper-crust socialite elite corporate lawyer to carry the GOP banner.
True, but Cox doesn't have to come out swinging. "I respect Janine." "It'll be a spirited race. "All working toward the same goal." Etc.
I just heard her on Hannity too. Too bad she's a RINO but she's sounds more than capable to take on Hildabeast.
Great!
Well, at least he doesn't use Bob Dole speak: "Ed Cox is going to stay in this race. Ed Cox is going to debate Hillary. Ed Cox is ... ."
I like Ed but he needed to be more aggressive. I thought it would be great irony for him to even run against Hitlery, before we knew Pirro would definitely do it. Now I'm convinced Pirro is the only one who can effectively take on The Beast!! GO JEANINE! I will send you $$!
I agree! It's Jeanine all the way!
Spencer is holding out for some political appointment..Cox...maybe wants to be an ambassador somewheres...there is NO way in the world we have a primary..if we do, the NYSGOP will never get a dime from me again..
Yeah, but at least with Dole you didn't get the impression he thought there were multiple copies of himself running loose.
They need National Polls for Hillary...not NYS Polls. They're meaningless for the National election.
Not only that, suppose, suppose Hillary lost to Pirro....That would put her at the bottom of the barrel for Presidential pickings. She can never take that risk.
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