Gubernatorial Primary Likely For Republicans

HEMPSTEAD – Far from the buoyant atmosphere of the state Democratic Convention, Republicans meeting here for their own parley are filled with ambivalence about their party’s competing candidates for governor.Having to choose between William Weld, a former governor of Massachusetts who is hoping his brand of moderate politics will give him a political rebirth, and John Faso, a former state lawmaker who is appealing to the party’s conservative grassroots, an anxious Republican Party is likely to punt and let primary voters hash it out in September.The supposed kingmaker at this convention, a veteran Republican county leader from Long Island, hinted yesterday that he would anoint two princes. Joseph Mondello, who presides over the Nassau County Republican machine, said he was leaning toward endorsing both candidates and spreading his delegate votes between the two.Both candidates are fiercely contending for Mr. Mondello’s endorsement, which is seen as the crown jewel of the convention. Nassau, a Republican stronghold, represents about 10% of the weighted vote, the largest share of any New York county. With both candidates said to be hovering around 40% of the vote, his endorsement would likely give the recipient the majority of delegate support.Messrs. Faso and Weld are competing for the party’s backing, or “designation,” a victory that would give them the status of Republican front-runner but doesn’t guarantee them the party’s official nomination. To earn that, they will have to win a primary – unless one of them drops out first. Both candidates are expected to garner at least 25% of the delegate vote, the minimum share that entitles them to a place on the primary ballot.Mr. Mondello, who is known for playing his cards close to the vest, said yesterday that he feared it is too late for the party to reconcile its differences at this convention. A primary, he said, could have a clarifying effect and benefit Republicans in the long run.Earlier in the day, he apparently delivered the same message over lunch to Governor Pataki and the Republican Senate majority leader, Joseph Bruno, who also have withheld their endorsements. Party delegates said late last night that Mr. Pataki was pushing for a fusion ticket with Mr. Faso and Mr. Weld joining together in an effort to defeat the state Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, the likely Democratic nominee for governor. Mr. Faso said he’s ruling out such an idea.At the beginning of the year, it was expected that Mr. Weld, who was supported by the state party chairman, Stephen Minarik, would come away from this convention victorious. But Mr. Faso, who served in the Assembly between 1986 and 2002, has assiduously courted delegates with a platform that has stuck to core conservative principles.Yesterday, Mr. Weld said the contest was close but that he thought he would come out ahead. He downplayed the significance of being the party’s “designee,” saying it amounted to “bragging rights.”Mr. Weld also played up his come-from-behind victory in 1990 in the Massachusetts gubernatorial primary. “I am scrambling,” he said. “I do better when I’m scrambling.”Hoping for a last-minute boost, he introduced his running mate, Christopher Jacobs, New York’s just-installed secretary of state. A real estate developer who comes from a wealthy Buffalo family, Mr. Jacobs praised Mr. Weld.“As one of the most experienced political figures in modern history, Bill is the only candidate prepared to be next governor of New York State,” he said, reading stiffly from prepared notes. Like Mr. Weld, Mr. Jacobs described himself as a fiscal conservative who has moderate views on abortion and gay marriage.Mr. Faso spent the day making his way around the arena and shaking hands with delegates. While most people said he had the momentum in the race for the Republican nomination, he lowered the expectations, insisting that he was the “underdog.” The tone in the arena was rather hushed. No balloons fell or confetti sprayed. The capacity of the stadium is 5,000, but only a few dozen people were in the stands peering down at the roughly 450 delegates seated on the floor.Late in the afternoon, the convention received a small energy boost in the form of Mr. Pataki, who greeted delegates with a short video recounting his success, followed by 20-minute pep talk.The video was paid for by his political action committee and seemed to preview Mr. Pataki’s advertising strategy should he run for president in 2008. Taking viewers on a tour from Mr. Pataki’s surprise victory in 1994 to his response to September 11 attacks, an announcer said the governor had a “unique” understanding of New York’s destiny.In his speech, in what seemed to be a response to criticisms of his record leveled by Mr. Spitzer a day earlier at the Democratic convention in Buffalo, Mr. Pataki offered a defense of his administration’s record and of Republican policies. The governor had been expected to endorse Mr. Weld but apparently changed his mind in recent days as Mr. Faso has gained momentum. After speaking, he immediately left the arena, bypassing reporters wishing to speak with him.

Gubernatorial Primary Likely For Republicans

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