Levy Announces GOP Gubernatorial Bid

New York State Republican Chairman Ed Cox is endorsing Steve Levy for governor, throwing his support to the one-time Democrat who says he’ll run for governor as a Republican.  At his formal announcement today, Levy was also endorsed by former GOP gubernatorial candidate John Faso.

Levy announced the campaign outside the state Capitol where he once served as an assemblyman. He’s now the Suffolk County executive and won re-election unopposed with support from the Democratic, Republican, Conservative, Independence and left-leaning Working Families parties.

“The people who stand with me today recognize that we need to stop spending, stop taxing, stop delaying, and start cutting,” Levy said. “Start reforming – start putting the state’s best interest in front of the special interests.”

Levy will face Republican Rick Lazio, a former Long Island congressman, in a primary fight for the GOP nomination.

“A liberal Democrat that switches for expediency’s sake is not going to be somebody that will be seen as representing the values of the kind of voters who vote in a Republican primary,” said Lazio.

Levy, who has already amassed a war chest of $4 million compared to Lazio’s $640,000, also humiliated Lazio by getting Lazio’s hometown party chairman to switch his allegiance.

Lazio hit back by compiling a list of Levy’s “liberal sins,” including supporting Al Gore, John Kerry, and Eliot Spitzer, saying last January that Andrew Cuomo would make a good governor, and voting as an assemblyman in 2003 for the largest tax increase in state history.

“The story here today is not one man’s change of party registration,” Levy said. “The story here today, and for the next seven months, will be the fundamental change we can bring to the great state of New York.”

The nominee will likely face Democrat Andrew Cuomo, the attorney general expected to soon announce his candidacy.

Cuomo seems to be doing his best to take the high road.

“I think he makes his own decision and that’s that. He’ll be with the Republicans and run as a Republican. And whatever is will be,” said Cuomo.

Conservative Party Chairman Michael Long, who’s backing Lazio, questions whether the rest of his party will follow suit.

“I’m not sure rank and file Republicans are ready to go for a guy who supported President Obama last year, and who supported Chuck Schumer, Eliot Spitzer,” said Long.

Levy is known for his fiscal restraint on taxes and spending in Suffolk County.

Levy and Lazio may not be the only ones in the Republican primary. Erie County developer Carl Paladino is expected to announce his candidacy, and he says he’s spend $10 million of his own money if he runs.

{wcbstv/Noam Amdurski-Matzav.com Newscenter}