Thursday, May 18, 2006

NY GOP Establishment Rallies to Block Conservative (Sound Familar?)

It is happening Coast to Coast Folks-Republicans Hope to Block Conservative Candidate (RINOs want to stop NY Conservative John Faso)
NY Times ^ | May 18, 2006 | PATRICK HEALY and JENNIFER MEDINA

Prominent New York Republicans took steps yesterday to derail John Faso's bid for the party nomination for governor by assailing him as an extremist conservative who would drag down the entire Republican slate in the November elections.

The onslaught against Mr. Faso, a former assemblyman, could help prepare the way for a major development, several New York Republicans said: Gov. George E. Pataki's endorsement of another candidate, William F. Weld.

These Republicans, who are close to Mr. Pataki, said he would like to endorse Mr. Weld but could do so only if Mr. Faso was seen by Republican voters as an out-of-touch extremist who would not win enough support from moderates and women to beat the likely Democratic nominee for governor, Attorney General Eliot Spitzer. These Republicans were granted anonymity to disclose political strategy that they were not authorized to discuss publicly.

"While the governor thinks John has been an outstanding candidate, he has significant concerns about his voting record and the ability to raise the funds to overcome it," a Republican close to the governor said. But, this Republican cautioned, "It is incumbent upon the Weld campaign to talk to party leaders throughout the state."

The attacks on Mr. Faso's conservative record have been unfolding for days now, at the same time as his campaign has picked up steam with important endorsements and a rise in the polls. Those attacks intensified yesterday when Republicans released a letter from William L. DeProspo, the party chairman in Orange County, to other Republican leaders criticizing Mr. Faso's voting record in the Assembly.

Republicans said that if the attacks on Mr. Faso succeeded, Mr. Pataki might announce in the coming days that he was urging voters to support Mr. Weld for governor and, perhaps, Mr. Faso as his running mate.

Joseph L. Bruno,...

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...

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