Report: New York Republicans Pushing Donald Trump To Run For Governor

trump-hair

Politico reports that top New York State Republicans are apparently pushing Donald Trump to run for Governor:

State Republican leaders in New York are pushing for Donald Trump to run for governor, according a report Monday.

“There is only one prospective candidate who could run on the GOP line and win against Cuomo in 2014 — Donald Trump,” a memo circulated by a GOP assemblyman read, as quoted by the New York Post.

Trump said he was “very flattered” by the effort, which the paper reported is backed by state GOP Chairman Ed Cox and other party leaders.

However, Trump also noted that running for governor is “not something that I’ve ever even thought about.”

Trump echoed his response in a TV appearance on Monday.

“We have a lot problems, but it’s not something that is of great interest to me, I will say,” Trump said on “Fox and Friends.”

“It’s a first, it would be very interesting, but New York has some very serious problems, with taxes that are through the roof, we have energy sitting under our ground that we’re not getting,” Trump said.

The three-page memo was circulated to other Republican leaders by Rochester-area Assemblyman Bill Nojay and aims to make the case for a Trump bid, calling him an “iconic figure.”

Oh, Trump is a figure all right. I’m just not sure “iconic” is the word I’d use.

If nothing else, this seems to signal just how bad the state of the New York GOP is these days. Four years ago, less than a decade after George Pataki had finished out three successful consecutive terms in Albany, the party ran Buffalo businessman Carl Paladino against Andrew Cuomo in a race that ended up focusing on things such as Paladino’s illegitimate daughter and other allegations of odd behavior on Paladino’s part. Cuomo ended up crushing Paladino on Election Day and now looks well positioned for reelection in 2014. The GOP, meanwhile, seems to have nobody in its stable willing to take Cuomo on. Perhaps that’s why we have party leaders turning to a complete flake to head their ticket.

By the way, if the name Ed Cox sounds familiar, it’s because he is the same Ed Cox who married Patricia Nixon in 1971 at what was, to date, the last White House Wedding.

FILED UNDER: 2014 Election, US Politics, , , , , , ,
Doug Mataconis
About Doug Mataconis
Doug Mataconis held a B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University and J.D. from George Mason University School of Law. He joined the staff of OTB in May 2010 and contributed a staggering 16,483 posts before his retirement in January 2020. He passed far too young in July 2021.

Comments

  1. C. Clavin says:

    Just living in the bubble….

  2. C. Clavin says:

    Donald Trump…a real ‘merican!!!!

  3. superdestroyer says:

    I wonder what happen to all of the Republicans who served on the staff of former Gov. Pataki or former Mayor Giuliani. Those are the positions are are suppose to produce future candidates and leaders.

    I suspect that virtually all of their staffs were really Democrats and that if any of them are still involved in politics that they are working as Democrats. So much for how great moderates are for the survival of the two party state.

  4. legion says:

    AAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHA
    That’s great. The GOP can’t accept that the substance of their current philosophy is unwanted by a majority of Americans any more, so they spend all their time talking about ways to improve their “messaging” and “image”. How? How to do this?

    Run Trump for office!

    The term “incompetent” doesn’t even do these idiots justice.

  5. Grumpy Realist says:

    I think this is an idea floated by “top Republicans” the same way we have “top scientists” quoted about Bat Boy in the Weekly World News. Far more likely “little fishy dangled in front of Donald Trump to see if he has a big enough ego to jump at spending money on it.”

  6. Paladino wasn’t pro-liberty as conservatives tried to show. Redlich owned him in one of the few debates.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aACs2WhGmYM

  7. anjin-san says:

    @ Doug

    at what was, to date, the last White House Wedding.

    I believe Tony Rodham and Nicole Boxer were married at the White House.

  8. legion says:

    @Grumpy Realist: That does sound kinda like Indiana Jones’ Lament…
    “We’ve got top men working on it. Top. Men.”

  9. al-Ameda says:

    This is being promoted by The Daily Show, right?

    I hope it happens, he’s Sarah Palin without stripper heels, but with more money and a better comb over.

  10. gVOR08 says:

    ROFLMAO. Do you think Trump’s staff lets him have any idea what a laughingstock he’s become?

  11. Kidding aside, Trump will never, ever run for public office because he will have to disclose his financials. And if he does that, everyone will know he’s not nearly as rich as he pretends to be.