Posted on 12/21/2005 1:20:21 PM PST by neverdem
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ALBANY, N.Y. -- After weeks of pressure from her own party to drop out, Republican Jeanine Pirro abandoned her struggling campaign to unseat Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and announced Wednesday that she will run for New York attorney general instead.
"I have decided that my law enforcement background better qualifies me for a race for New York State attorney general than a race for the United States Senate," Pirro, the Westchester County district attorney, said in a statement.
With her campaign against Clinton in trouble, Pirro had been under strong pressure from top state GOP leaders to make the switch.
The move leaves Republicans with two active candidates for the Senate nomination: former Yonkers Mayor John Spencer, who is not well known statewide, and an even less well known tax attorney from the Catskills region, William Brenner.
Some supporters expect New York City lawyer Edward Cox, a son-in-law of President Nixon, to consider re-entering the Senate race. Cox withdrew in October after Republican Gov. George Pataki endorsed Pirro.
But Pirro has had trouble raising money, and independent polls have shown the former first lady, a potential 2008 presidential contender, with huge leads over Pirro and the other potential GOP challengers. As of the end of September, Clinton had about $14 million in her campaign coffers.
Pirro, a supporter of abortion and gay rights, also had major problems in her attempts to court support from leaders of the state Conservative Party. No Republican running statewide in New York has won without Conservative Party support since 1974.
Michael Long, the Conservative Party state chairman, said he had always urged Pirro to run for attorney general rather than the Senate.
Thanks for nuttin, Jeanine
We just can't have anyone standing in the way of what Her Beastliness wants now can we ???
Now the long knives from the right will shift to whomever else is running against Hillary.
In terms of physical attractiveness, Pirro beats Hillary by a wide margin.
President had legal authority to OK taps
Unrelated, but interesting, especially since the latter link's author worked for the bent one.
From time to time, I’ll ping on noteworthy articles about politics, foreign and military affairs. FReepmail me if you want on or off my list.
How can the Evil B*tch fail with Beelzebub in her corner?
Don't let the door hit you in your clinton.
Who needs leftists like this in the Republican Party which is loaded with RINOs already?
I got a fund-raising letter from her, but have yet to get a Christmas card from the WH, in spite of working for President Bush in 2000 and 2004.
LOL!!! What a great pic!!!
I would rather have a Republican attorney general with Hillary in the Senate than a Democratic attorney general and a Republican senator.
Recent developments have shown clearly that Jeanine Pirro is not a viable candidate for any office. As soon as backroom politico's said she should abandon her race against Hillary, she proclaimed to all that she was a candidate for the Senate. Now, after heated headlines subsided, she "decided" not to continue her run for Senator. Instead (big surprise), she said she is best suited to run for attorney general. I, for one, have had enough of such spineless political wannabe's!
What challenge?
Thanks for the ping!
Probably for the best. Jeanine would make a great AG, and the GOP would be better represented by someone who spoke out for Conservative ideals.
IMO no one would beat an incumbent Dem like Hillary, so it is better to run someone more Conservative. It will force Hillary out on the issues, like the illegal Transit strike, the Death penalty, like voting against renewal of the Patriot Act.
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