Bob McCarthy: Leftovers from Tuesday’s scraps
A plate full of leftovers from a most delectable election:
• The victories of three Chris Collins supporters to the County Legislature on Tuesday would normally bolster the county executive’s gubernatorial ambitions. Few can argue that voters in overwhelmingly Democratic Erie County accept his efforts to run local government “like a business.”
But everything is clouded by his recent gaffe comparing Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver to Hitler and the Anti-Christ. He now has lots of ground to make up.
• There is no question that Republican legislative candidates like Kevin Hardwick and Lynne Dixon rode Collins’ coat tails to victory on Tuesday. But give some credit to GOP Headquarters, too.
Several sources report Chris Knospe, the party’s executive director, served as main recruiter for Dixon — a former reporter for Channel 2.
They also say Collins initially pushed for former Legislator Chuck Swanick as Hardwick pondered and then pondered some more about running. But GOP Chairman Jim Domagalski put the kibosh on Swanick, eventually secured Hardwick and the rest is history.
And Swanick, you may recall, is now a Democrat.
• Domagalski, however, should thank his friends in Albany for the state party’s financial assistance — especially in mailings it distributed for legislative candidates.
• Now that former Mayor Rudy Giuliani can vacate his front-row seat for the World Series at Yankee Stadium, he may get around to addressing his plans for 2010. Giuliani has said he would decide about running for governor after Tuesday’s election — and that time has arrived.
Count Collins and former Congressman Rick Lazio — both governor wannabes — as most interested in the mayor’s decision.
• Now that Republicans are basking in victory after failing to field candidates in overwhelmingly Democratic Buffalo, and after a paltry turnout of those Democrats,
is it reasonable to assume the GOP may never run one of its own in Buffalo again?
Just asking.
• Efforts to dislodge Erie County Democratic Chairman Len Lenihan from his party helm are expected to intensify after three Legislature seats went GOP on Tuesday. Yes, the party saved Comptroller Mark Poloncarz in the face of a tough challenge, but it also failed to defeat incumbent Republican Tim Howard as sheriff despite Lenihan’s significant investment in the race.
Still, there is no major figure emerging who can even think about replacing Lenihan, despite Headquarters’ continuing rifts with Mayor Byron Brown and Rep. Brian Higgins.
• One of the most interesting political fundraisers of the year will take place on Nov. 17 at the new Avant Building. Local business types have rescheduled an event for Gov. David Paterson’s re-election fund that was postponed during the height of last summer’s Senate coup.
With the governor still facing poll results approaching negative numbers, it will be interesting to see who shows up — and the enthusiasm they will muster.
• While Democrats and Republicans slugged it out in Tuesday’s main event, Conservatives and the Independence Party sparred on the undercard. And Conservative Chairman Ralph Lorigo is claiming victory on points.
He points out that Republican Howard won the sheriff contest and Democrat Tom Loughran tentatively won his legislative race on the strength of the Conservative line, as did candidates in 12 other elections. He also said that in 88 elections where candidates appeared on both the Conservative and Independence lines, 63 garnered more votes as Conservatives and 25 as Independence.
Just in case you were wondering.
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