GOPers worry Paladino will hurt other party contenders

Some Republicans across the state say they are worried gubernatorial nominee Carl Paladino's sinking popularity could depress turnout and hurt GOP candidates for Congress, the State Legislature and even attorney general and comptroller.

"He is certainly a drag on the ticket," said Guy Molinari, the former GOP congressman and Staten Island borough president. "It could be the difference in some races."

The latest bad news came Wednesday with a Siena Research Institute poll showing Paladino losing to Democrat Andrew Cuomo, 63-26 percent. Nearly 70 percent had an unfavorable view of the Buffalo developer. Earlier this week, a New York Times poll showed Paladino losing to Cuomo 59 to 24.

Vincent Reda of Rockland County, first vice chairman of the state Republican committee, said Paladino's unpopularity "clearly is going to have some effect, if people say, 'He doesn't have a chance to win, I'm just going to stay home.' "

Just as popular standard bearers can usher in a host of lesser-known candidates farther down the ballot, a la President Barack Obama in 2008, disliked politicians at the top of the ticket can halt others' momentum.

The Siena poll showed Paladino's statewide ticket mates, Harry Wilson for comptroller and Dan Donovan for attorney general, farther behind than in some past surveys.

Neither has endorsed Paladino and both released statements critical of his remarks on gays.

Paladino campaign manager Michael Caputo said Paladino has received "hand-wringing" phone calls from Republicans about the poll numbers. But Caputo rejected the surveys as unable to measure enthusiasm from angry first-time voters in western and upstate New York.

Caputo said the campaign's internal polls showed a closer race. But a Republican source said even Paladino's pollster "shows him significantly behind."

Alex Carey, spokesman for the state GOP committee, said Republican candidates would be helped by Paladino's popularity upstate. "There's going to be significantly higher turnout than we've ever had in western New York, which will more than compensate for any perceived drag on turnout downstate," Carey said.

Still, some Republicans said Paladino could hurt everyone on the GOP ballot because of his remarks criticizing homosexuals and a shouting match he had with a reporter.

"I think his ability to communicate exactly what he means has been lost, sometimes to the detriment of others running on the Republican line," said Suffolk Legis. Ed Romaine (R-Center Moriches).