Yepoka Yeebo
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MIDTOWN — The three-day New York State Republican Party Convention kicked off in Midtown Tuesday with a bid by New York State Republican chairman Ed Cox to overcome party infighting over the gubernatorial nomination by uniting against a common enemy — the Democrats.
Cox told elected officials and party loyalists gathered at the Midtown Sheraton that Democrats, who currently hold every statewide office, were responsible for New York's fiscal crisis and the culture of corruption in Albany. He said the only way to help the state was to make sure Republicans were elected to office in the fall.
“Their elected officials have forgotten that they are in power to serve the people, and not the special interests who have paid and played with them,” Cox said, according to the New York Times. “A culture of corruption now prevails in Albany and has produced unelected officeholders, federal grand jury investigations and legislative gridlock. The tax and spend policies of the other party have literally bankrupted our state."
But despite the unity talk, the convention's main focus Tuesday was on the five candidates vying for spots on the Republican primary ballot for governor.
The reported front-runners are former Rep. Rick Lazio and former Democrat and Suffolk County executive Steve Levy, who has the support of Cox.
Unfortunately for Levy, Cox, who is Richard Nixon's son-in-law, has been steadily losing support in the Republican party. Republicans say Cox has done a bad job of fundraising and they are upset by his recruitment and support of Levy over lifelong Republican Rick Lazio.
“Ed Cox has been a disaster for the party,” a GOP strategist told the New York Post. “If he fails, as I expect he will, to deliver for Levy, New York will not only have a lame-duck governor, it’ll have a lame-duck GOP chairman.”
Buffalo real estate millionaire Carl Paladino, who has been linked to the Tea Party movement, real estate entrepreneur Myers Mermel and Albany attorney Warren Redlich are also in the running to challenge Democrat Andrew Cuomo for the governor’s seat.
The Republicans will make their nomination for governor Wednesday morning.
