As I said yesterday, it goes without saying that my condolances go out to the Powers family. However, the busness of politics goes on, and if the Republicans hope they can recruit a stronger candiate to take Frank Powers’ they may be out of luck.
State Sen. Andrew Lanza (R-Staten Island) declined to run because he didn’t want to be away from his young family, and yesterday said that Powers’ death didn’t alter his thinking.
“I made the decision for all the right reasons,” Lanza said. “This doesn’t change the reasons why.”
“Nothing’s changed for me,” said Councilman James Oddo (R-Mid-Island), who passed on the congressional race in order to focus on a 2009 run for borough president. “What I said a month or so ago still rings true.”
District Attorney Daniel Donovan as well as County Clerk Stephen Fiala, a former South Shore City Councilman, each said last month that they would not run for the seat.
It is believed that Fossella, who announced last month that he would not seek re-election, will remain on the sidelines.
This has to be one of the most unusual races of the year, so sa the least and anything can happen, but the picture seems to go from bad to worse for the Republicans.
Supreme Court Judge Joseph Maltese who was rumored to be the choice before. I believe he did do interviews. And the Independence Party nominee Carmine Morano.
At this stage the process of getting an official “go to” guy becomes more difficult. You need to not only recruit someone who is willing and to your liking but get a vote of the executive committee so that when party members get phone calls asking them to carry petitions they feel some sense of obligation to do so. Over say Jamshad Wyne or whoever else might feel tempted to jump in. The Brooklyn Republicans might want their own candidate.
There is just over three weeks left until signatures need to be submitted and the clock is ticking. This makes the race more of a mess.