Astorino Expected to Announce Decision Soon on Governor’s Run
Rob Astorino barely had time to enjoy his resounding re-election as Westchester County executive in November when speculation almost immediately began to swirl about the Republican’s potential run for governor.
That decision will apparently be announced as soon as the end of this week.
Bill O’Reilly, a campaign spokesman for Astorino, said a decision could be made by Friday about whether the county executive plans to take on Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a fellow Westchester resident.
“The best possible scenario for Westchester taxpayers would be County Executive Astorino running for governor while continuing his reform work in the county,” O’Reilly said. “The key drivers of runaway taxes and a stagnant state economy are in Albany and the county executive is pounding away at them every day. In short, a vacuum is sucking money out of Westchester, its school districts and municipalities, and its plug is in Albany. That plug needs to be pulled, and Andrew Cuomo isn’t pulling it.”
It’s been no secret that Astorino, 46, has been mulling a gubernatorial run. State Republicans began courting him soon after he won a second term, he told The Examiner following his inauguration ceremony Jan. 1.
The county executive has a long record in public service in Mount Pleasant. The Hawthorne resident and Westlake High School graduate was elected to the Mount Pleasant Board of Education as a 21-year-old college student at Fordham University. He also served for 12 years as a town councilman.
Prior to being elected to the Westchester County Board of Legislators in 2003, he began an extensive career in broadcasting, including stints with WFAS, ESPN Radio and MSG Network. He also hosted a program on Sirius satellite radio with New York Archbishop Cardinal Edward Egan.
On New Year’s Day, Astorino said Cuomo has a record “that’s not worthy of re-election.”
“It’s something I have to consider because maybe you get this shot once,” Astorino said. “But I feel very, very strongly about the direction this state is going in, and it’s not the right one and that concerns me.”
O’Reilly said Astorino realizes he has a fundraising disadvantage.
“He knows that he cannot match Gov. Cuomo dollar for dollar, but he is confident he can raise enough money to win,” O’Reilly said. “He raised $7 million in his re-election race and has more than $1 million on hand today.”
Mount Pleasant Supervisor Joan Maybury, who served with Astorino until he left the town board to take his seat on the Board of Legislators in January 2004, said Astorino was always very involved, whether on committees or the board of education, before being elected to the town board. Another asset was his ability to reach consensus.
As a councilman, Astorino was always well versed on the issues, Maybury recalled.
“He was extremely diligent,” she said.
Mount Pleasant Councilman Carl Fulgenzi said he had fond memories of working with Astorino in town government and would be a solid choice for governor.
“He was always a professional, dedicated to what was best for Mount Pleasant,” Fulgenzi said. “I always found him easy to discuss issues with, even if we did not always agree on the topic. He worked well with other board members.”
While his former town board colleagues support an Astorino run for governor, County Legislator Peter Harckham (D-North Salem) said the county executive should instead focus on county government.
When he ran for re-election last year, Harckham said, Astorino promised to deal with county issues for another four years, but he cannot fulfill that pledge if he runs for state office.
“We have enormous challenges,” he said. “The challenges call for a full-time county executive.”
Harckham chided Astorino for the county’s lower bond rating and the loss of federal aid for failing to fulfill terms of the county’s affordable housing settlement with the federal government.
Harckham said Cuomo, who lives in New Castle, deserves a second term.
“The governor is doing a terrific job,” Harckham said. “He’s cut taxes. He’s created jobs.”
