Giambra makes his case for governor to a skeptical state GOP
But it was a tough sell.
The former
He also sought their backing while opposing
"I'm not looking to pick a fight with Trump but I am not a Trump supporter," Giambra said a few days ago, "and I still have very strong reservations about his ability to lead us."
Giambra's views may prove heretical to much of the state
He points out the last three Republican candidates for governor --
Like Giambra, Rockefeller and Pataki supported abortion rights. Giambra now goes further on other progressive issues, promoting public campaign financing and legalization of marijuana.
But to a certain extent, Giambra fits the winning mold fashioned for Pataki in 1994 by then-Sen.
Giambra quits lobbying post in anticipation of gubernatorial run
The party must adapt and evolve, Giambra says, or be relegated to historical footnote status.
"I believe the
A former Democrat who won elections for
Now he wants to bring that same brand of Republican politics to a statewide campaign, while still adhering to conservative principles of smaller government. His largely unsuccessful campaign for regional government during his days in the county's
"If you really want to reduce taxes in
So far, however, his candidacy is not catching fire. State Republican Chairman
"Among our candidates, that really has not been an issue; it's more about fixing the economy," Cox said. "That's a very down to earth thing."
Cox added that Giambra must tread carefully while criticizing the president since the economy is performing and Trump proposals like infrastructure development will eventually benefit
"You have to be supportive of those policies because that's what reinvigorates the economy," he said. "You can reject some of the president's policies, but to do it wholesale would be a mistake."
"He had a fundraiser here for the most liberal politician in the history of the
The
State Conservative Chairman
"He may not be interested in the
"With that background and with the people he's supported, it sounds like he favors everything that
Still, Long said anyone seeking his party's nod should attend his annual
Paladino, the 2010 Republican-Conservative candidate for governor, won that year's
"He's still a liberal Democrat," he said. "If he just wants to put on a Republican uniform, it's not going to work. Is he dreaming?"
Paladino, who floated the idea of a repeat candidacy in 2018 but now says he will pass, said he likes Wilson as a candidate while wondering why "he plays so hard to get." Kolb and DeFrancisco, he said, "are not my people, that's for sure."
None of this makes much difference to Giambra, who has ended a 10-year stint in D'Amato's lobbying firm to concentrate on his new effort. He says he can defend his efforts for
"He was the best Democratic candidate, and I was the first Democrat in
And de Blasio?
"Bill is a friend," he said.
He supported Clinton in 2016, he added, because he did not believe Trump represented the "values and principles of the
Giambra says he is willing to run in a primary, though he stops short of promising to challenge Wilson, who has talked of contributing
"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Giambra says.
He now embarks on an effort he calls "not a campaign but a crusade."
"I want to mobilize those 18 to 35 across the state and bring new blood to the
"They told me I couldn't win county executive either," he added, "but that didn't deter me."
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