The NY Post is reporting that the five NYC Republican county leaders are meeting with state Sen. Malcolm Smith on Monday evening to discuss his potential mayoral run as a “fusion” candidate.
Smith’s meeting comes a week after The Post reported that Smith, a Queens Democrat, met with New York state Republican Party Chairman Ed Cox about running for City Hall as a GOP “fusion” candidate.
After hearing the news, some of the city’s GOP leaders ridiculed the idea. They cited Smith’s baggage — his brief and rocky tenure as Senate majority leader and ties to a shady Queens not-for-profit and an Aqueduct racino bidding scandal. Still, they agreed to break bread with Smith at Ricardo’s steakhouse in East Harlem.
You have to hand it to Sen. Smith. The guy won’t take “No” for an answer. He must have been an encyclopedia salesman in a former life. Sen. Smith can sell you the sizzle off a steak.
Meeting with Sen. Smith makes good optics for the GOP. It helps them to fill in a perceived credibility and racial gap. It looks as though 2013 is shaping up to become a doozy of a political year.
See Democrat Malcolm Smith to huddle with NYC GOP leaders to discuss mayoral bid – NYPOST.com.
