Lazio Endorsed by Niagara GOP Chairman
Tags: Buffalo News, Chris Collins, Ed Cox, Erie County, Henry Wojtaszek, Mike Norris, Rick Lazio, Rudy Giuliani, Western New York
Rick Lazio got an important upstate endorsement this week from Niagara County GOP Chairman Mike Norris
The Buffalo News had the story.
Lazio insiders said Norris, who recently assumed the Niagara County Republican helm from former Chairman Henry F. Wojtaszek, will make the official announcement at 4:30 p.m. outside the party’s holiday gathering at the Lockport Holiday Inn.
The move is viewed as especially significant because it occurs in the backyard of Erie County Executive Chris Collins, who also is considering a run for governor but is not expected to decide about a candidacy until January.
Norris emphasized today he wants to begin the process immediately.
“The people of Niagara County and throughout this state are looking for someone who will deliver fundamental change to New York, and Rick Lazio is that person,” he said. “Most importantly, we need someone who will create jobs in Western New York. I believe the person who can best do that as governor is Rick Lazio.”
Now, this endorsement is significant in that it was made prior to Chris Collins making an official decision on running. Whether it has anything to do with Collins’ support for Ed Cox as NY GOP chairman over Henry Wojtaszek, Norris’s predecessor, I don’t know… but, personally, I think Collins is a non-issue here. This is not his time to seek statewide office. Collins’ best chance to run for statewide office was to be Rudy Giuliani’s running mate, and Rudy appears more likely to run for U.S. Senate, if anything at all.
Matt Margolis is co-author (with Mark Noonan) of Caucus of Corruption: The Truth About The New Democratic Majority. He also blogs at Blogs For Victory. Follow Matt on Twitter.