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POLITICS & POWER: LI McCain backer gets his due

Rick Brand

September 7, 2008

Back in 2000, Assemb. Phil Boyle (R-East Islip) angered top Suffolk Republicans when he first helped maverick presidential contender Sen. John McCain sweep all of Suffolk's convention delegates, save one - then-County Executive Robert Gaffney.

"It was pretty serious," recalled Boyle. "Both elected and party officials told me why couldn't I keep my mouth shut."

The resentment was so strong, Boyle, a strong incumbent and a former Washington aide, was passed over just months later when party officials named a candidate to run for then-Rep. Rick Lazio's congressional seat, a race the party threw away - the first domino in Islip GOP's downfall.

Now, as co-chairman of McCain's Long Island campaign, Boyle's political fortunes are finally soaring after a Job-like saga that has roiled the lawmaker's career in the past decade.

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"It takes Boyle from being a back bencher to a major player in the state," said Desmond Ryan, veteran Albany lobbyist. "He's very comfortable behind the scenes and brings a level of organizational skill and tenacity."

Boyle's immediate job will be to help McCain lock up the backing of the national Independence Party that state and Suffolk party leader Frank MacKay originally organized for New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg's now-scotched presidential bid.

"I have to imagine there is heavy lobbying for Frank's affections," said consultant Michael Dawidziak. "And Phil has the political know-how to make the case."

Boyle not only is a personal friend of MacKay, but his wife, Victoria, is an Independence Party member. Boyle also played a key backroom role cementing the relationship between MacKay and Bloomberg operative Kevin Sheekey, whom he knew when both were congressional aides. And locally, backers say Boyle may be the lone Islip GOP figure who might salvage the wreckage of the once-dominant town GOP machine.

Yet one critic said Boyle's stump style "can suck all the charisma out of a room," and others say he sometimes is ham-handed in backroom battles. But supporters say Boyle is frank, savvy and has a dry wit.

"Phil is an undiscovered political treasure," said Legis. Edward Romaine (R-Center Moriches) who used Boyle as campaign manager in a 2003 county executive loss to Steve Levy. "He has a quiet way but is highly effective and knows how to get things done."

Boyle, 47, first showed that political acumen engineering then-Suffolk Legis. Lazio's victory over powerful Rep. Thomas Downey in 1993, a huge upset. A year later, Boyle won his own Assembly seat. But in 2002, Boyle, the point man in former Assemb. John Flanagan's bid for minority leader, became a casualty after a one-vote loss. Assemb. Thomas Barraga, whose district was to disappear in reapportionment, backed the winner. Boyle's seat disappeared instead.

In 2003, Boyle ran Romaine's losing campaign, which became mired in Brookhaven GOP corruption scandals. Two years later, Boyle got caught in another crossfire. He lost a town board primary when the town GOP tried to dump council veteran Christopher Bodkin, who opposed dropping the term limits for Town Supervisor Peter McGowan. Boyle came back in 2006, winning an Assembly seat after Barraga became a county lawmaker

From his defeats, Boyle said, "What I got out of it is you have to keep moving and keep trying." Even last year, Boyle unwaveringly stuck with McCain as his campaign unraveled and most local Republicans flocked to former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.

Now, some suggest Boyle might be in line for a federal post if McCain wins, or become a major player in a Flanagan run for governor. Boyle dismisses such talk as "bad luck." He just wants New York to be a presidential battleground and Long Island a key front.

"On Oct. 15, Long Island will be center of the world for a night," said Boyle, referring to the presidential candidates' debate to be held at Hofstra University. "And perhaps for the two weeks leading up to the election."

THE PLAYER

Assemb. Philip Boyle, John McCain's Long

Island campaign

co-chairman

THE ISSUE

His quest pushing McCain's candidacy

WHAT'S NEXT

Locking up the Independence Party for McCain