If They Choose Someone Else?



New York City’s Republican county leaders are seeking to avoid a mayoral primary by uniting behind a single candidate in the coming weeks.  It’s an appealing idea to candidates and supporters, so long as they or their candidate is the chosen one, but it can pose a bit of a quandary for candidates.  They’re understandably loath to publicly consider the prospect of another candidate receiving united party support and to contemplate a premature end to their candidacy.

Republican mayoral candidate Paul Massey punted when I asked him about those Republican party efforts and whether he would continue his candidacy if a rival candidate receives unified party support, replying “I wouldn’t speculate on that.”  There’s an added twist for Massey, who has already received the support of the New York State Independence Party, as he could readily end up on the general election ballot as the Independence Party candidate running against both a Democratic candidate and a Republican candidate.  He was far more committal on that possibility, declaring “I think the answer is yes.  I’m in, I’m all in.”

Here’s my exchange with Massey at a Staten Island press conference yesterday: