Molinaro-Killian vs. Cuomo-Hochul
By Dan Murphy
Westchester resident, mother, former deputy mayor of the City of Rye, and State Senate candidate Julie Killian has been selected by the New York State Republican Party to run statewide as its candidate for lieutenant governor with Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro, the GOP’s candidate for governor. The ticket of Molinaro-Killian will run against incumbent Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul.
“Following a statewide search, with more than 20 candidates from all corners of the state, New York gubernatorial candidate Marc Molinaro announced that former deputy mayor and State Senate candidate Julie Killian will be joining the ticket as candidate for lieutenant governor,” wrote the Molinaro campaign in a statement.
“Ms. Killian, a mother of five with a degree in chemical engineering from the University of Notre Dame and an MBA in finance from New York University has been a passionate voice for change in New York as a mother, city councilwoman, and candidate for State Senate. Ms. Killian has relentlessly assailed the ‘corruption tax’ in Albany that drives property taxes ever higher; hands away billions in tax dollars to big money political donors; diverts school dollars to districts with powerful legislators; and deprives those most in need from precious resources.
“Her experience as a mother and elected official have made her a champion for improved drug education and prevention and for increased funding and services for students with special learning and lifelong needs.
“Julie Killian is a champion for people who have no voice, who are left behind, who are in crisis, and she will never back down from the challenges that are facing our state,” said Molinaro. “I’m so proud to have Julie as my partner in this campaign to restore New Yorker’s belief in the future of our state.”
“Marc and I share a vision of New York, that is more affordable, accountable, and accessible for all families and I am honored to join his team as a true partner,” said Killian.
Killian ran for State Senate in Westchester’s 37th District on two occasions, losing to George Latimer in 2016, a presidential election year with Donald Trump at the top of her GOP ticket; and in a special election last month where she lost to Shelley Mayer.
In the statement from the Molinaro campaign, both Molinaro and Killian address her most recent special election Senate campaign. “Andrew Cuomo’s failed leadership of the most corrupt government in America has cost taxpayers billions and is chasing families out of state in record numbers, leaving him desperate and lashing out. Julie Killian has taken everything Cuomo has thrown at her and more, yet she remains standing, determined to fight for New York families,” said Molinaro.
“The easy thing to do would be to shrink from this opportunity and say I have had enough. But single moms who need to get to work will still have to take a broken subway system, parents with children on opioids will still need to fight insurers for treatment, and unemployed community college graduates will still need to find a job. I won’t back down against Andrew Cuomo, or any opponent of reform, because everyday New Yorkers can’t,” said Killian.
Molinaro and Killian also received the Reform Party line last week and are seeking the Conservative Party line. It is interesting to note that the Reform Party also nominated Preet Bharara to run as the Republican candidate for attorney general. Bharara, a Democrat, would run on a fusion ticket with Molinaro and Killian.
Killian’s two races for State Senate share two common themes: Millions of dollars were spent by both sides, primarily in negative advertisements against the other candidate; and the Blue Wave of Democratic-Anti-Trump, progressive voters overpowered the traditional Republican voter.
Killian loaned her campaign $438,000 in 2016, so her family’s wealth can only help the New York GOP in their efforts to gain statewide attention to their campaign.
A recent Quinnipiac poll has Cuomo with a 57 to 26 percent lead over Molinaro, but Cuomo will have to deal with a Democratic primary challenge from actress-activist Cynthia Nixon. Cuomo leads Nixon among Democrats by a 50 to 28 percent margin. If Nixon, who has received the endorsement from the Working Families Party, decides to run in November regardless of the outcome of the September Democratic primary, a three-way race between Nixon, Molinaro and Cuomo currently polls at: Cuomo – 40 percent, Molinaro – 23 percent, and Nixon – 20 percent, with 17 percent undecided.
Four years ago, former Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino lost to Cuomo by a 54 to 40 percent margin, with Green Party candidate Howie Hawkins getting 5 percent of the vote.
With Killian running for Lt. Governor, the question now becomes who will republicans pick to run for State Senate in the 37th District against new Senator, democrat Shelley Mayer. Sarmad Khojasteh, who ran for the GOP nomination for the special election but lost, is the obvious candidate to run, if he wants it. Khojasteh brings a unique life story to the race and did something most politicians don’t do—he returned all of his contributions after getting out of the race, to the tune of more than $100,000.
