Lazio gets Conservative nod; Levy backers force primary

While the state Conservative Party nominated former Rep. Rick Lazio for governor Friday, backers of Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy and Buffalo developer Carl Paladino mounted an insurgent bid to buy their candidates time to secure more support.

Lazio won 54 percent of the weighted Conservative vote at the state convention at the Midtown Manhattan Sheraton Hotel and Towers. But the Levy-Paladino coalition forced a primary with Erie County Conservative chairman Ralph Lorigo as their candidate. Lorigo won 36 percent of the weighted vote.

Suffolk Conservative chairman Edward Walsh, who backs Levy, and Lorigo, who backs Paladino, are holding out hope their respective candidates win the GOP nomination at next week's Republican convention.

Walsh said he plans to reassess Levy's chances of taking the Conservative line after Republicans choose their candidate. No Republican has won statewide without Conservative backing since 1974.

"If next week Levy does well, we'll sit down with chairman [Mike] Long and go from there," Walsh said.

With Lorigo in a primary, the Conservative Party has a backup plan should Lazio falter.

John Ciampoli, Long's counsel, said "it's virtually impossible" for Levy or Paladino to appear on the Conservative line in November. For that to happen, Ciampoli said, Lorigo would have to win a primary and then either move out of state, be named a judge, or die.

Levy spokesman Josh Hills said Lazio's backing showed the former Brightwaters congressman's support was not as strong as he portrayed. "It certainly must make you wonder about the predictions his team has been making about the GOP convention," Hills said.

Lazio forces immediately declared victory Friday night. Lazio and his choice for lieutenant governor, Chautauqua County Executive Greg Edwards, signed declarations accepting a position in the Conservative primary.

"I'm excited about the fact that this line is now locked up for us," Lazio said. "I am 100 percent confident I'll be the candidate on the Conservative Party line."

There was much debate among attendees over Long's moving the party convention ahead of the GOP convention. Conservatives typically choose their candidate after the Republicans.

"Never before has our party leader stifled the vetting of all candidates for the office," Lorigo said.

"This isn't personal," Walsh said. "We wanted a process. I wanted to let our people pick through these guys."

In other action, Conservatives unanimously nominated Staten Island District Attorney Dan M. Donovan for attorney general and Scarsdale hedge fund manager Harry Wilson for comptroller. Both men are each expected to receive Republican support at the GOP convention next week.

Former Rep. Joe DioGuardi of Westchester County won the Conservative line to run against Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.).