Yesterday, the NY State Republican Party nominated Rick Lazio to face off against Andrew Cuomo in this fall's race for the governor. However, it seems the process has caused problems for the GOP, vs. the Democrats. The Post reports one consultant as saying, "This whole thing was a disaster. Politically, it was a disaster. Organizationally, it was a disaster. It was a train wreck."
Steve Levy, whose transformation from Democrat to Republican candidate was supported by NY GOP Chairman Ed Cox, was seen as a more potent challenger to Cuomo, because as Fred Dicker points out, he "has some $4 million in the bank, a track record as a fiscal conservative, and a natural base and proven bipartisan appeal in one of the state's larger counties. Had the Republicans granted Levy the right to run in the September primary, the threat of his candidacy would have hung over Cuomo all summer."
Now it looks like Carl Paladino, the Buffalo developer with millions at his disposal, will try to challenge Lazio in a primary this fall. Paladino, who is riding Tea Party emotions, said of the Republican convention, "I thought guys in construction were cut-throat but some county chairmen make those guys look like girls scouts... I thought the Republican process would be fair and open but it was not.. One guy even disinvited me to a meeting I was never invited to to begin with. The process was a joke... Rick Lazio is a nice fellow and we have developed a cordial relationship and I think he is a man of his word- but he took a $1.2million dollar bonus as a lobbyist for Wall Street Bank handed $25 Billion in the Federal bail out. That's our tax money Rick put in his pocket."
