Posted on 12/12/2005 11:35:21 AM PST by Goldwater-Reagan Republican
ALBANY, N.Y. - New York's Republican Party county leaders recommended Monday that Jeanine Pirro abandon her struggling campaign to challenge Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and instead run for state attorney general.
State GOP Chairman Stephen Minarik said no vote was taken but that was the consensus of the county leaders. Rockland County Chairman Vincent Reda said the support for a Pirro switch was "overwhelming."
There was no immediate comment from the Pirro campaign.
The county chairmen also voted in favor of having former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld run for governor in his native New York, Minarik said. However, that ballot was not unanimous and many of the county chairmen did not vote.
Weld and former state Assembly Minority Leader John Faso pressed for the GOP's county chairmen to take the vote.
The recommendation that Pirro give up the race against the popular and well-financed Clinton follows months of disarray in her campaign, from the formal announcement when she lost a page from her speech and stood silent for 32 seconds, to an anemic fundraising effort.
The attorney general's office is being vacated by Democrat Eliot Spitzer, who is the only announced Democratic candidate for governor. Gov. George Pataki is not seeking a fourth, four-year term next year.
Independent polls have shown Clinton and Spitzer well ahead of their potential Republican challengers.
If Pirro does bow out of the GOP Senate race, former Yonkers Mayor John Spencer and tax attorney William Brenner are actively seeking the nomination.
The GOP nomination for governor also is being sought by Randy Daniels, New York's former appointed secretary of state, and state Assemblyman Patrick Manning.
I don't like these political movements.
Why did you change your screen name? I remember you had been a member since long.
Pirro's "campaign" reminds me of Jimmy Carter's infamous Desert 1 operation to rescue the Iranians' hostages. She self-destructed even before contacting the enemy. Worst of all, I initially supported her in the erroneous hope that she'd run a really aggressive campaign against the Witch.
"Stupid meanie conservatives always want someone pure as the driven snow...waaaahhhh"
Never mind that Pirro is virtually Clinton's ideological soulmate, her husband makes Slick look ethical, and she'll generate zero support from the grassroots and liberals aren't going to vote for her anyway because they can just get the real thing in Hillary. Pirro's a loser, enough said.
Pirro was wrong from the start. I'm glad she's out.
Within a short time we will get a real conservative to vote for in this race. John Spencer is anti gay "marriage" anti abortion anti affirmative action and a member of the NRA.
I said from the start that Pirro had only one valuable asset in this race -- her ability to make Hillary look old.
Well, Pirro ain't spring chicken either.
Did you read that George Cloony said he would not support Hillary for President? He is going to support Obama.
So now the Repub. Party has endorsed William Weld, formerly of Mass. fame. Never mind the other NY guys who are interested.
Have you heard about this, AC? I have mixed feelings about Weld. What do you think?
Must be that legendary Italian beauty. ;-)
Yikes!
I don't know. He's the one who proved that Republicans could win in Massachusetts, so that's a point in his favor. But I also seem to remember reading stories about him that give the impression he's pretty flaky.
Jesse Helms used to say that Weld was soft on drugs due to his support of marijuana.
I remember that dispute -- in which Helms refused to confirm Weld for an ambassador's post (to Mexico, I think) for that very reason.
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