From WNBC New York:
Several top New York Republicans said that Congressman Vito Fossella’s resignation will come within the next 72 hours — if not late Friday then certainly by Monday.
There was political concern about how best to preserve the seat for the Republicans — questions about immediate resignation versus finishing out his term and retiring — but the calculation is there’s nothing to be gained from Fossella sticking around. While Staten Island Republicans believe Fossella could at least serve out his term (the rest of the year) national Republicans want him gone. Now.
[…] Smart strategists say watch for something later this afternoon (rule: dump bad news on Friday afternoons when news consumption is low and so it will end up in the lesser-read Saturday newspapers) but a New York Republican keeping a close eye on all this says Fossella’s decision may not come until Monday.
Stay tuned.
If Fossella should resign before July 1st, Gov. Paterson has the option of calling a special election, or he could leave the seat vacant until the next Congress. But if Fossella resigns, and if Paterson calls a special election here, there would be no primary. In what would amount to one of the biggest backroom deals in recent political memory in NYC, party leaders would designate the nominees.
This could allow Dems to upgrade their candidate from the current field (Brooklyn attorney Stephen Harrison and Coney Island city councilman Domenic Recchia, who has yet to officially launch his campaign). As the man says: Stay tuned.
(H/T: RandySF)
Yesterday, Charlie Cook classified it a tossup. Today, Congressional Quarterly followed suit. The Politico got a denial from Fossella’s office, but that just reminds me of Elliot Spitzer.
any chance of an independent run in the special by harrison OR recchia OR BOTH? see what i’m saying? this seat seems winnable by the democrats BUT i would think we need party unity to do it