GOP Brawl For Gov Nomination

The state Republican Party’s inability to find a viable candidate to oppose United States Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s re-election bid next year, as demonstrated by the brouhaha over Jeanine Pirro, is somewhat duplicated by fierce intra-party wrangling to select an opponent for Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, very likely to be the Democratic candidate for governor.

The state Republicans, headed by Stephen Minarik, the party chairman, are scheduled to meet this Monday to try to get a consensus on a choice, but here again state Senate Majority Leader Bruno is flexing his muscles, to the annoyance of Minarik and Governor George Pataki.

Pataki and Minarik are backing William Weld, former Massachusetts governor, to be the party standard bearer. Besides the obvious experience factor, he also would bring to the race an ability to attract campaign financial support in large amounts.

But Bruno has expressed more than a little interest in getting some consideration for wealthy Rochester business executive Tom Golisano, who has gained considerable experience by running for governor against Pataki a few times, even if it cost him $70 million.

Golisano, the founder of the Independence Party, is so intent on trying to get the Republican nomination that he switched his party enrollment from Independence to Republican to make a maximum effort to get the gubernatorial nod.

Also contending for the party nomination are former Assembly Minority Leader John Faso, ex-state Secretary of State Randy Daniels, and Patrick Manning.

Other possibilities are Congressmembers Vito Fossella of Staten Island, and Tom Reynolds from upstate, who would bring considerable national exposure to the race.

Minarik tried several weeks ago to get the leaders behind Weld, but failed through a combination of rousing animosity from Faso and Daniels and the leaders supporting them and Bruno’s opposition.

Bruno feels that Golisano, with his upstate power base, can spread some cash around to help re-elect GOP senators who might otherwise lose their seats.

Bruno has explained: “Naturally I need people out there who are credible, viable and electable.”

Weld’s cause has been hurt somewhat by some embarrassing disclosures, but he seems to have put them behind him.

To many observers, all this Republican infighting is probably an exercise in futility since Spitzer has creamed any opponent placed against him in several polls. The attorney general has built a great public image by going after Wall Street types and getting financial settlements from them. He also has heavy financial backing for his campaign and appears hard to beat.