So there are three ways Bob from Manhattan can get off of the ballot, death, moving out of the state and being nominated for a judgeship. Last night he was nominated, possibly against his desire, for a judgeship position. From the NY Post;
Republican Robert Straniere, who’s running for Rep. Vito Fossella’s seat, was nominated as a Manhattan judicial candidate last night – a move that could pave the way for the disgraced congressman to get back on the ballot and run for re-election.Several Republican sources said the New York County GOP made the nomination with the understanding that Straniere would accept it.
But Straniere, a former Staten Island assemblyman who’s been at odds with fellow Republicans, hasn’t been contacted about the judicial post and “unequivocally” plans to turn it down, his spokesman told The Post.
There are very mixed signals here. Earlier last week there was polling going around indicating Fossella or someone close to him were looking to see if he could win re-election, if only he could find a way back on the ballot. We had a quick New York civics lesson on how you replace a nominee on the ballot when Paul Atanasio, the Conservative Party nominee in this race was nominated for a judicial position, allowing the state party to then replace him with some no name.
Bob Straniere is saying he doesn’t want the judgeship and is running for Congress. Bob can simply not accept it and this farce of a Fossella comeback is dead. It looks like this is the most likely situation, but certainly if Fossella wants in you never know what offer Straniere might get.
This simply could just be a lot of political pressure and maneuvering by a party that has lost its leadership and is falling apart or this potentially, and I say this with much hesitation, could open up the seat for Fossella to be renominated. I don’t see a path for Fossella to win if he goes down this road. He does not have the Conservative Party line and at this point can not get it. He has a trial date later this Fall in October for his DWI arrest. It would take immense arrogance on his part to jump back in. Since the Republican Party has been a joke in this race for months now I am not ruling it out.
stay tuned…