By Dan Murphy
Last week we reported that rumors about Westchester County Executive George Latimer possibly becoming the Lt. Governor running mate with current NY Attorney General and Gubernatorial candidate Letitia James are real, and that there is interest on both sides of the equation and decision.
The political analysis about a James-Latimer ticket, would include the consideration that in a competitive democratic primary for Governor next year, say, between James and the current Governor, Kathy Hochul, whoever wins Westchester County might win the primary. And who better a candidate to run with to win Westchester than Latimer, whose 20 point victory on Nov. 2 is lookng better and better in comparison to what happened across the country.
Here’s a letter from a reader, and Mamaroneck resident James Vespe, which shows the love for Latimer.
“Fresh off re-election to his second, and self-declared final term as Westchester County Executive, George Latimer might be upset that this message was written, much less published, but the Democratic Party really owes it to itself, and more so, to the residents of New York, to nominate him for Governor in 2022.
“No credible Republican came forward to challenge George Latimer for re-election, and no wonder. He has performed his duties as County Executive during the worst crisis of our lifetimes without fuss or fanfare. The non-candidates included Latimer’s predecessor, Rob Astorino, who in addition to serving two terms in White Plains also was the Republican Gubernatorial candidate against Andrew Cuomo in 2014.
“Rob Astorino is bright, personable, articulate, wears suits well, looks ten years younger than his actual age…even speaks Spanish fluently…and surely has no shortage of ambition. Yet even he knew that George Latimer, who defeated him by a landslide in a brutal, bruising campaign in 2017, was unbeatable this year.
“Kathy Hochul is the “accidental governor”, able to ascend to the governorship because disgraced former Governor Andrew Cuomo probably wanted a female running mate from upstate. She appears to be a nice, well-meaning person, but could she wage…and win…a campaign against a well-funded, well-spoken candidate as George Latimer did against Rob Astorino?
“Other prospective Democratic nominees such as Attorney General Letitia James or can’t-get-out-of-Gracie-Mansion-soon-enough Mayor Bill deBlasio are too identified with New York City, or the left wing of their party, or best-known for their perpetual animosity towards Donald Trump.
“George Latimer, by comparison, is recognized as a centrist who has appointed Republicans to his administration, lives and works in a suburban county, and has said ‘Donald Trump’ probably as often as he has said ‘Rumplestiltskin’.
“The Republican Party knows that the next Governor of New York will be selected by independent voters who are not comfortable with the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, are more likely to live in the suburbs, and do not grit their teeth at the mere mention of the further adventures of Donald Trump.
“This is why the GOP will probably nominate Lee Zeldin, a congressman from Suffolk County.
“It’s also why the Democratic Party should nominate George Latimer,” writes Vespe.
