By Dan Murphy
Six months after the blue wave of Democratic and progressive support rolled over Republican candidates in Westchester County, an analysis by some Republicans has begun about where the party is and how do they stay alive. Six months after his election loss in Westchester, former County Executive Robert Astorino remains the county’s Republican voice.
Astorino has left the political stage in Westchester after serving eight years as county executive, only to lose his re-election badly to George Latimer last November. But there is no Republican voice in the county to take the place of Astorino.
Jim Maisano took a post in the Latimer administration; local town supervisors like Tony Colavita and Ron Belmont are busy holding their own in Eastchester and Harrison. State Sen. Terrence Murphy is also battling to keep his position this fall.
Some Westchester Republicans we have spoken to off the record talk about “hanging on for the blue wave to subside,” and to make sure “there is a Republican Party in five years in Westchester.” How to do that is the question, when all the motivation and energy appears to be with the progressive-Democratic-indivisible voters.
Astorino has taken a position as a political commentator for CNN. He frequently appears on the Erin Burnett show at 7 p.m. weeknights as the Republican commentator in a sea of liberal viewpoints on CNN. “I enjoy it,” he said about his new gig to journalist Fred Dicker on his radio show, which can be heard weekdays at 4 p.m. on WVOX 1460 AM.
Astorino is now commenting on the national news of the day, and recently opined on the Roseanne Barr controversy. “What Roseanne said was disgusting and I have no problem with ABC canceling her show,” he said. “But I do have a problem with, is when other liberal hosts say something offensive and over the line and they get a slap on the wrist. There is a complete double standard.”
Dicker asked Astorino about the future of the Republican Party in New York, or the lack thereof. “My sense is that the New York Republican Party is headed for one of the biggest defeats in recent memory,” said Dicker, who said he believes that GOP gubernatorial candidate Marc Molinaro has no enthusiasm behind his campaign, and that lieutenant governor candidate Julie Killain from Rye is also a bad pick because the GOP should have picked someone from upstate to balance out the ticket. (Molinaro is the Dutchess County executive.)
“All the Republican candidates will have to prove themselves and put together a plan and offer an alternative to what the Democrats have been doing to this state for a generation,” said Astorino. “If you want four more years of the same thing then keep voting Democrat. This is a difficult and crazy year, but anything can happen. Julie (Killian) is very good on mental health issues and in working against the opioid crisis. She’s a woman, which also helps, but a lieutenant governor candidate isn’t going to make or break the election.”
Another dilemma for New York Republicans like Astorino, Molinaro and Killian that Dicker pointed out is the Trump factor. Many New York Republicans are “never Trumpers,” including Molinaro, who said he did not vote for Trump in 2016. But when President Donald Trump was recently in New York City on the same date as the state Republican Party dinner, the Republican president of the U.S. did not attend.
This is the key question for Westchester Republicans moving forward: How do you unite the anti-Trump Republicans and Independents with the dwindling number of Republicans in the county who support Trump?
Astorino, like many, was unable to answer that question, but offered the following alternative: “You have many different types of Republicans. Trump lost New York by 35 points in 2016. Do you really want Andrew Cuomo for another four years? If not, then get out and vote Republican.”
Ironically, Astorino works for CNN, whose rising star is host Chris Cuomo, brother of Gov. Andrew Cuomo. “I wonder how CNN will cover the race between Andrew Cuomo and Cynthia Nixon,” said Astorino. “And if Cuomo runs for president, how will they cover that race?”
In the weeks to come, Rising Newspaper will offer some thoughts from Republicans across the county as to what comes after the blue wave, which is expected to be a strong as ever this November.
