Posted on 03/19/2010 9:25:53 PM PDT by neverdem
ALBANY — The campaign for the Republican nomination for governor was blown wide open on Thursday as the party’s presumptive frontrunner, Rick A. Lazio, lost key support after a last-minute entry into the race by a conservative Long Island Democrat.
The Democrat, Steve Levy, was quickly amassing Republican endorsements, just hours after he said he would switch parties and seek the Republican nomination.
Mr. Lazio, seeking to contain the damage and play down the growing number of defections from his campaign, hit back on Thursday, calling Mr. Levy, the Suffolk County executive, a “rank opportunist.”
“The people of New York are looking for somebody that they can depend on,” Mr. Lazio said. “Not somebody that’s going to put their finger up to the wind and decide which way things are going. Not somebody that’s going to look at the polls and make decisions based on what’s favorable or in vogue for that particular time, but somebody who’s got a sense of conviction.”
Mr. Levy’s campaign, meanwhile, picked up key support from party leaders who had been backing Mr. Lazio.
Several New York Republican county chairmen, who hold significant sway over how rank-and-file party delegates will vote at the state Republican convention in June, have either decided to abandon Mr. Lazio or are considering it.
The chairmen who represent Suffolk County and Bronx County, which together have nearly 11 percent of the delegate total, have both switched their allegiances to Mr. Levy. “I think that Steve is gaining ground every day while Rick is losing ground every day,” said Jay Savino, chairman of the Bronx County Republican Committee.
The Suffolk Republican chairman, John Jay LaValle, plans to appear with Mr. Levy at his kickoff rally in Albany on Friday, aides said.
The county leaders who said they were still supporting Mr...
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Sure Levy is an opportunist, but than Lazio has very little chance of beating Andrew Cuomo, so I don't know why he is even complaining that much. He'd lose to Cuomo even if he won the Republican nomination anyways.
I like Rick; he’s a nice guy, but, he just doesn’t seem to be able to win a State-wide election.
Pretty much. Don’t have anything against he guy, but then he just seems to always losing to these Democrats in statewide elections. Hilary smoked him easily, albeit some of the blame for that lies with Giuliani.
Correction:
Don’t have anything against the guy, but then he just seems to be always losing to these Democrats in statewide elections. Hilary smoked him easily, albeit some of the blame for that lies with Giuliani
FReepmail me if you want on or off my New York ping list.
What other statewide elections were there besides Hillary in 2000?
GEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeezzzzz Cant we find anyone new???
Why in God’s Name would we want to recycle RICK LAZIO for crying out loud
Thanks for the ping!
None other that can I of. That's why why I said he “always seems to be losing to Democrats”. I think the impression is there in voter's minds that he can't win. Of course the fact that he is behind in the polls to Cuomo may have something to do with though.
RCP has Lazio behind by a massive 32.8% right now:
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2010/governor/ny/new_york_governor_lazio_vs_cuomo-1127.html
Lazio’s a clown. Levy’s a RINO. I never thought I’d have to suffer through another Governor Cuomo but it looks like the NY GOP is going to hand Andy the statehouse on a silver platter.
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