FRAGMENTED NY GOP PICKS LAZIO FOR GOVERNOR

New York City--  On Wednesday, June 2, former Rep. Rick Lazio became state Republicans’ designated candidate for governor as his chief rival, Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy, failed to gain a spot on the GOP primary ballot. Lazio also won the Conservative Party endorsement just a few days earlier.

Some observers may remember Lazio as the floundering New York Senate candidate who ran against Hillary Clinton in 2000. Lazio got trounced by a 55 percent to 43 percent margin.  Lazio was first elected to Congress to serve the 2nd District in New York (Suffolk County) in 1992.  He served through 2001.

After a tense convention vote in NYC, Lazio said the nomination means he will turn his campaign to the troubled state Capitol and the quest to end the days of Albany’s dysfunction.

Lazio, 52, who described himself as an Albany outsider, said Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Cuomo is not the answer to the state’s problems. He accused Cuomo — a heavy favorite against him, polls show — of being “too political for too long” and said Albany could not take four more years of Democrats holding all statewide offices.

“The people deserve more than politicians who choose to cling to power. The people are looking for new leaders who are not part of the culture of Albany,” Lazio said at the convention.

Lazio formally introduced Chautauqua County Executive Greg Edwards as his pick for lieutenant governor outside the Capitol on May 21.

But Lazio may face a Republican primary challenger yet: Carl Paladino — Buffalo real-estate tycoon, the guy who compared healthcare to 9/11, adulterer, and porn aficionado — has vowed to collect the 15,000 signatures needed to get on the ballot.

Lazio and the state workforce

According to his website, Rick Lazio issued this statement on Governor Paterson's decision to include furloughs in one of his budget extenders:

Rick Lazio said, “Governor Paterson has offered a way to prevent New York from defaulting on payments next month. Democrats and union bosses are obligated to decide to accept this choice or offer another sustainable reduction in the labor costs to the state. We need responsible leadership from Albany and the public employee unions to reduce spending.”

He added, “That’s why I’ve called for eliminating member items, cutting legislative support spending, freezing state salaries and shrinking the size of the state workforce. With the budget now more than a month late, it’s clear that we need sweeping and fundamental change if we’re going to have the kind of government the people want and deserve. I will be a Governor who provides that change,” concluded Lazio.

On June 3, Lazio defended Governor Paterson’s layoff plan, and pointed boney fingers at CSEA and PEF. Lazio’s congressional report on civil rights for LGBT workers is weak. According to OnTheIssues.org, he supported NAFTA, Gingrich’s Contract for America, and privatizing Social Security.

Education is the final key pillar of Lazio’s gubernatorial platform. Lazio calls for merit pay for teachers and an end to “rubber rooms” so that incompetent teachers can be fired. He supports ending the cap on charter schools as a way to increase competition and wants to provide tax credits for after-school programs for “at risk” kids.

Will Lazio self-implode again?

Lazio was dogged during the 2000 senatorial campaign with questioning by the SEC into his stock option transactions (e.g., Quick & Reilly, Monsanto, U.S. Filter).  After Lazio responded to the inquiry, the SEC took no further action.  By the way, Monsanto is a notorious anti-labor enthusiast, who has poured millions of dollars in the fight to prevent workers from organizing. 

We at the Voice Reporter remember a decisive moment in that senate race which led to the collapse of his campaign. It came during a September 13, 2000 debate where he left his podium, walked over to Clinton with a piece of paper that he called the "New York Freedom From Soft Money Pledge" and demanded she sign it.  Clinton refused. 

Some debate viewers were turned off by Lazio's demeanor towards Clinton– and as a result, Clinton's support among women solidified and most knowledgeable voters knew right then that he was unelectable.  Many Albany insiders are saying under their breath today that they are just waiting for his campaign to self-implode again. As one credible Republican source told the Voice Reporter, “It’s just a matter of time.”