Optimism about mayoral election infuses GOP parley on Staten Island

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Republicans could be heading for a primary in this year's race for City Hall.

And that's not a bad thing, according to some party leaders.

The five borough GOP chairs broke bread at Bocelli's restaurant in Grasmere on Thursday night, and mayoral politics was on the menu.

The GOP chairs want to present a united front for the nomination, but that might not be easy.

Staten Island Republican leader Robert Scamardella is leaning toward Joe Lhota, former head of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

Brooklyn chairman Craig Eaton supports former Democratic Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion, and Bronx leader Jay Savino is leaning that way.

Queens chairman Phil Ragusa and Manhattan leader Dan Isaacs back supermarket magnate John Catsimatidis.

Scamardella would like to see unity, but wasn't worried about a potential primary.

"Eight months ago, the conventional wisdom was that we would have to scrape the bottom of the barrel for a candidate," he said. "That's not the case. We have a fine group of candidates."

Isaacs agreed.

"It shows we are relevant," he said. "And it's a rebuke to the field of Democrats who are seeking that nomination."

But Savino said a primary could inhibit the GOP's chances to win in the heavily Democratic city.

Ragusa said he had a solution for the GOP dilemma: A ticket of Catsimatidis for mayor, Carrion for public advocate and Lhota for comptroller.

Ragusa and Savino said that if he runs, Lhota would have to address the higher tolls and fares, including the $15 toll on the Verrazano Narrows Bridge, approved by the MTA board just before he left.

"It's not fully his fault, but they are going to throw it up in his face," said Ragusa.

Eaton said the chairs would host a joint meeting with all the candidates in the next two to three weeks.

"It's unclear which direction we're going to go," he said.

Also in the GOP mix are newspaper publisher Tom Allon, Doe Fund founder George McDonald, Democratic Brooklyn state Sen. Malcolm Smith and a new entrant, Brooklyn mega-church pastor A.R. Bernard. ?

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Source: http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2013/01/optimism_about_mayoral_electio.html

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