Following Rudy Giuliani’s endorsement last week of Rick Lazio for governor, Erie County Executive Chris Collins released a letter today from 15 county GOP chairmen encouraging him to run for the governor.
This is perhaps the first big move by Collins to show he likely will run for governor next year. He said last week he’s willing to push it to a primary against Lazio, if that’s what it takes.
Lazio has picked up the endorsement of at least eight GOP chairmen, including the big ones of Suffolk and Monroe.
But Collins—and his supporters—appears undeterred by Lazio’s growing support. Among the large counties asking Collins to run include those in Erie, Onondaga and Albany.
“As leaders of the Republican Party in counties across New York,” the chairs wrote to Collins, “we recognize that the time for bold and committed leadership is now. That is why we are asking you to run for Governor of New York as the Republican nominee in 2010.”
Those signing the letter:
—Jack Casey, Rensselaer County Republican Chairman—Robert Christman, Allegany County Republican Chairman—Lowell Conrad, Livingston County Republican Chairman—Donald Coon, Jefferson County Republican Chairman—John DeSpirito III, Onondaga County Republican Chairman—James Domagalski, Erie County Republican Chairman—Jim Ellis, Franklin County Republican Chairman—Leonard Govern, Delaware County Republican Chairman—John Graziano, Albany County Republican Chairman—Cherl Heary, Cayuga County Republican Chairwoman—Ed Morgan, Orleans County Republican Chairman—Kenneth Padgett, Seneca County Republican Chairman—Jay Savino, Bronx County Republican Chairman—Richard Siebert, Genesee County Republican Chairman—Paula Snyder, Cattaraugus County Republican Chairwoman
Here’s the letter:
December 28, 2009
Hon. Chris Collins
Erie County Executive
295 Main Street, Suite 950
Buffalo, NY 14203
Dear County Executive Collins:
New York State is in crisis. Bloated spending, highest in the nation taxes and three
men in a room who are all Democrats are pushing our state towards a calamity from
which we may never recover. As a result of one poor choice after another, New York
can no longer pay its bills.
As leaders of the Republican Party in counties across New York, we recognize that the
time for bold and committed leadership is now. That is why we are asking you to run for
Governor of New York as the 2010 Republican nominee.
In the last two years, you have proven that running government on business principles
works. At one time Erie County was plagued by deficits and diminishing services while
being under the oversight of a control board. In two short years, you have created a
culture where services are provided efficiently, surpluses are the norm and the control
board no longer oversees the day-to-day county finances.
Your success is confirmed with the passage of Erie County’s 2010 budget which holds
the line on spending at an increase of only two-tenths of one percent while maintaining
and enhancing services to taxpayers. All this while the federal, state and some county
governments drown in a sea of red ink and are unable to get spending in check.
It is now time to put taxpayers first in New York State like you have in Erie County. By
doing so, you are also further advancing the needs of Erie County taxpayers by doing
for them at the state level, exactly what you are doing for them at county level.
With your candidacy and ultimate election as our Governor in 2010, we believe that we
will reverse our state’s rapid decline and once again make New York the Empire State.
Sincerely,
James Domagalski, Erie County Republican Chairman
John Graziano, Albany County Republican Chairman
Jack Casey, Rensselaer County Republican Chairman
Robert Christman, Allegany County Republican Chairman
Lowell Conrad, Livingston County Republican Chairman
Donald Coon, Jefferson County Republican Chairman
John DeSpirito III, Onondaga County Republican Chairman
Jim Ellis, Franklin County Republican Chairman
Leonard Govern, Delaware County Republican Chairman
Cherl Heary, Cayuga County Republican Chairwoman
Ed Morgan, Orleans County Republican Chairman
Kenneth Padgett, Seneca County Republican Chairman
Jay Savino, Bronx County Republican Chairman
Richard Siebert, Genesee County Republican Chairman
Paula Snyder, Cattaraugus County Republican Chairwoman
5 Comments
this is looking like an upstate downstate fight…
chris collins has leaders from albany north
and rick lazio has leaders in the suburbs…and the city
let them fight it out in a primary…but beware of
the lurking conservative party and independence party
influence…
No this is not upstate vs downstate this is a good old race for the right to challenge “Lord” Paterson and live in the “Royal Palace”
But lets not forget it is State Committee person who “VOTE” and sometimes they and their County Chairpersons do not see “Eye to Eye”
Count Vampire J. Machiavelli
VJ Machiavelli
No More Schumer
No More Pelosi
No More Rangel
No More Engel and his Million Dollar Home in Maryland
No More Arthur Finkelstein & Co, and
No StinkingTerrorists in NYC, send them to Washington DC
other than savino of the bronx I don’t see any county
chairs south of albany…like dutches,orange, rockland
westcheseter, putnam, nassau suffolk, new york, queens
richmond….looks like a cabal of rural county chairs
to me
Poor consultant he sees only what he wants to see, while I see a race to replace “Lord” Paterson by the Republicans and it is only just begone.
Count Vampire J. Machiavelli
VJ Machiavelli
No More Schumer
No More Pelosi
No More Rangel
No More Engel and his Million Dollar Home in Maryland
No More Arthur Finkelstein & Co, and
No StinkingTerrorists in NYC, send them to Washington DC
problem is Lord David will not be the democratic nominee
for governor in 2010….and you can take that to the bank