ALBANY, N.Y. — In an esoteric but important move, New York’s Conservative Party announced Tuesday that it will choose a nominee days before the state Republican convention, which would likely boost Rick Lazio’s campaign for governor in the GOP primary. Republican candidate Steve Levy claims the action is a maneuver by Conservative bosses to head off his rising support among...
ALBANY, N.Y. — In an esoteric but important move, New York’s Conservative Party announced Tuesday that it will choose a nominee days before the state Republican convention, which would likely boost Rick Lazio’s campaign for governor in the GOP primary.
Republican candidate Steve Levy claims the action is a maneuver by Conservative bosses to head off his rising support among the rank-and-file Conservatives. Lazio’s camp says it’s simply rallying all Republicans around their candidate against likely Democratic candidate Andrew Cuomo, who is more popular and has more campaign cash than either GOP candidate.
The Conservative Party’s announcement that its convention will be May 28 may turn out to be a critical move in the 2010 campaign.
That’s because Republicans know the Conservative ballot line has been crucial in statewide races against the Democrats’ enrollment advantage. The result is that three candidates are fighting hard for the party endorsement: Lazio, the former congressman from Long Island; Levy, the Democratic Suffolk County executive who enrolled in the Republican Party as he announced his candidacy; and Carl Paladino, the developer and tea party Republican from Buffalo.
It also adds to the complex strategy of the campaigns. Under a Republican Party rule, candidates get on the GOP line of the ballot if they get 51 percent of the vote at the June convention.
But if a candidate like Levy, whose Republican enrollment won’t be effective until next year, gets 25 percent of the first ballot vote, he could be placed into a GOP primary if he gets 51 percent of a second, special vote of all delegates. Levy is endorsed by state GOP Chairman Ed Cox and several Republican leaders from larger counties who hold great sway in convention votes that are weighted by population.
“If there was a high level of enthusiasm and confidence in the Lazio campaign, such maneuvering would not be necessary,” said Levy spokesman Josh Hills.
The Lazio campaign said the Conservative Party’s announcement wasn’t a maneuver. Instead, Lazio’s spokesman said the decision will unite Republicans and Conservatives under Lazio, a true Republican, over Levy, who is currently enrolled as a Democrat. In March, Lazio was endorsed by Conservative Party leaders, although Lazio has previously run for county executive on the Conservative, Republican, Democratic and left-leaning Working Parties Families lines.
Lazio campaign manager Kevin Fullington said the move shows Levy has little traction. “Principles matter. Party loyalty matters. Our Republican Party matters,” Fullington said.
State Conservative Party Chairman Michael Long says he expects his convention on May 28 will result in Lazio’s endorsement. Long says he wasn’t trying to influence the Republican convention scheduled for June 1-3 in Manhattan.
“I thought the silliness in the Republican Party would be over by now,” he said in an interview. “I hoped we could move united, but that’s not happening ... I’m just not in the business of putting a Democrat up on the Conservative Party line who has a history of supporting Barack Obama, John Kerry and Hillary Clinton, someone who conveniently makes a transition.”
Paladino spokesman Michael Caputo said his candidate will run as a tea party Republican and support conservative values whether he gains the Conservative nomination or not.