| Apparently, asking a wealthy and politically connected heiress for a lap dance, and comparing the (Jewish) leader of the Democratic majority in the state Assembly to Hitler and the Antichrist is not the best way to run for the highest office in New York State. Who would have guessed?
The Buffalo News has confirmed it tonight: Collins is ending his exploratory run for Governor of New York.
"It becomes apparent to me that my message of real reform and change has not been embraced by those who are happy with the status quo," he told The Buffalo News.
Yeah Chris. I'm sure it's the fact that New York isn't ready for a barely competent ex-businessman governor who thinks that the Bush playbook is still the way to go. It couldn't be the fact that your own party sees you as an embarrassing troglodyte knuckle-dragger.
This leaves the GOP with only one announced candidate, the former Long Island congressman Rick Lazio, best known for his role as Hillary Clinton's punching bag back in the 2000 Senate race, after Giuliani dropped out. Lazio is actually not a terrible guy on some issues, but there's a distinct difference between that and being qualified to be governor of 19 million people. Not to mention he's a rather obnoxious little twerp, and an executive vice-president at JPMorgan Chase & Co., neither of which bodes well for his appeal to the general electorate.
Nevertheless, it looks likely now that Lazio is going to be the Republican nominee unless they can come up with a dark horse candidate. With them having to contemplate running Bruce Blakeman, a former town supervisor, against sitting US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, it shows that the Republican statewide bench is shallower than Paris Hilton's intellect, and about as appealing. |
