New York State Republicans are already feuding over who will challenge Hillary Clinton for her Senate re-election bid next year, with Manhattan lawyer Ed Cox complaining that the state party has already picked its favorite, Westchester County District Attorney Jeanine Pirro.
As NewsMax was first to report, Pirro announced last month that she would run for statewide office in 2006. While Pirro hinted at a Clinton challenge, some say she's more likely to run for attorney general. (See: Pirro Makes Move to Challenge Hillary Clinton.)
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Meanwhile, Cox has already formed an exploratory committee and has begun raising campaign cash.
In recent comments, state GOP chairman Steve Minarik, however, seemed to indicate that Cox isn't his first choice.
"There is no question that Jeanine Pirro and Rick Lazio are two names that energize our base very well," Minarik told the New York Daily News last week, while discussing the GOP's dream ticket.
Cox's team was not amused.
"We told Steve Minarik and [executive director of the state GOP committee] Ryan Moses that we didn't appreciate their saying they back Jeanine Pirro," said I. Lynn Mueller, a top Cox strategist, in comments to the New York Sun. "[Their] answer was, 'We're not backing anybody,'"
Mueller said he responded: "The only two people in town who don't think you're supporting Jeanine Pirro is you two."
Moses told the Sun, "While Steve may support Jeanine Pirro personally, he has encouraged all potential statewide candidates to get out and meet with the state committee and county chairs who are the decision makers in this process."
Cox's strategist sounded less than convinced, telling the paper, "I believe it's inappropriate for the state chairman to choose sides when you have an open seat and you have at least two qualified candidates out there, and one with an exploratory committee and another who has been flirting with the notion."
Other Republicans say the party needs to unite around a candidate as soon as possible in order to stand a chance of unseating the former first lady.
"I think we can beat Hillary Clinton, but primaries deplete resources from the standpoint of manpower and finances," Erie County GOP chairman, Robert Davis, told the Sun "We can't afford to be divided, and primaries are divisive."
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