Political Update

April 20th, 2018

Conservative Party Leaders Vote to Support Molinaro in Governor’s Race

Last weekend, the state Conservative Party’s Executive Committee voted to recommend that the party support Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro in the race for Governor over State Senator John DeFrancisco.

Conservative Party Chairman Michael Long said:

“This was not an easy choice. Both candidates have had our endorsements in the past…. [Molinaro] provides the vision to mount a good campaign to take on Andrew Cuomo.”

The Conservative Party will hold its nominating convention next month.

Green Party Candidate Hawkins to Run for Governor Again

Howie Hawkins, who ran unsuccessfully for Governor as the candidate of the Green Party in 2010 and 2014, announced this week that he plans to again seeks the party’s nomination to run in November.

Hawkins supports single-payer health care; requiring the state to transition to 100 percent clean energy in 15 years; increasing taxes on high earners and reforming the state’s campaign finance laws.

Trichter Launches Bid For State Comptroller

On Monday, Jonathan Trichter announced that he is running for State Comptroller; he plans to plans to seek to run on the Republican and Conservative Party lines. (Watch his campaign launch video here.)

Trichter is a Democrat who has largely worked for Democratic candidates, but in 2010 he worked with Harry Wilson, a Republican businessman who unsuccessfully ran for comptroller in 2010 against incumbent Democrat Tom DiNapoli.

In his campaign announcement, Trichter said:

“The Comptroller [DiNapoli] came to office not because he was qualified but because he was everybody’s best friend in Albany. It’s no surprise, then, that he has brought to bear the powers of that office to protect the Albany status quo. I don’t have any friends in Albany. I will use the powers of the Comptroller to protect ordinary New Yorkers.”