Donald Trump, the reality TV tycoon, continued to fuel speculation of a gubernatorial run Wednesday as keynote speaker at a Manhattan Republican Committee dinner commemorating Lincoln”™s birthday.
The dinner came just a week after the state party announced it would hold its May nominating convention at the Hilton Westchester, formerly the Rye Town Hilton, on the turf of Westchester County Executive Robert P. Astorino. Astorino hasn”™t officially announced his candidacy, but has formed an exploratory committee and sent a fundraising appeal to his supporters via email Wednesday.
Trump also reportedly met in private in Trump Tower with leaders of several state Republican committees who think the millionaire”™s name recognition and pocketbook make him the party”™s best option to try to unseat Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat who has $33 million in the bank not to mention strong Siena and Quinnipiac polling leads over potential Republican opponents. Astorino, by comparison, had a little more than $1 million on hand as of last filing.
Trump, who has often flirted with running for office, is not expected by most critics or political insiders to follow through with a campaign. Still, he told party leaders he”™d accept the party nomination so long as Republicans were unified in their choice for a candidate.
“The last thing you need is a primary,” he said, according to the New York Times.
With the gears already turning on the Astorino campaign, the party backing Trump is likely a long shot. State Party Chair Ed Cox has been vocally supportive of Astorino and donated $27,000 to the county executive in January. Astorino also has the support of the state Senate”™s Republican leader, Dean Skelos, and Conservative Party Chairman Mike Long, according to the New York Post.
The GOP hasn”™t won a statewide election since the election of former Gov. George Pataki. The party faces a nearly two-to-one registered voter disadvantage to Democrats statewide. Astorino faced similarly numbers in Westchester County, where he won election last year by a convincing margin despite the Democratic advantage.
Run, Donald, run. Go, go, go.