Maragos serious about unseating Gillibrand
Nassau Comptroller George Maragos. (March 28, 2011) Credit: Howard Schnapp
As the clock runs out on his second year as Nassau County comptroller, Republican George Maragos by all accounts remains serious about his second bid for a Senate nomination -- this time, with the goal of facing incumbent Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand next November.
Last spring Maragos, 62, a well-heeled former financial-services executive, reported lending $111,451 in personal funds to a new federal committee dubbed Maragos4NY.
According to Federal Election Commission reports, the committee had $98,153 in cash on hand last month. Among its expenditures: Auto and lodging expenses for numerous political trips upstate, meal and cellphone costs, printing of bumper stickers, and contributions to various GOP committees around the state.
The committee also bought a Web domain name, Maragos4ny.com. A Facebook page, featuring Maragos' recent criticisms of Gillibrand, remains active.
Last year, Maragos sought to oppose Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer but the party nominated Jay Townsend. Gillibrand beat Joe DioGuardi last year to complete former Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's term. Gillibrand, 44, runs again next year for a full six-year term, and other potential GOP challengers may include businessman Daniel Rubino, Manhattan civic activist Philip Howard; 2010 comptroller candidate Harry Wilsonand economist David Malpass.
"Maybe I'm biased, but I think I'm the most qualified" of the GOP prospects mentioned so far, Maragos said Friday. "I believe I'm the most experienced and the only one who currently holds elected office," he said.
POLL VAUNT: Backers of Rep. Timothy Bishop (D-Southampton) are touting results of three polls showing Bishop with high favorability ratings, in an effort to demonstrate he's on solid political footing after surviving a razor-close race last year against GOP businessman Randy Altschuler. The Altschuler camp, however, cites his near-upset as evidence that his 2012 bid offers a good race for national Republicans to invest in.
The polls, commissioned by the Bishop camp, also show Altschuler with a favorable rating only slightly higher than his unfavorable rating. Altschuler spokesman Chris Russell blasted the release as "a pretty pathetic attempt by Congressman Bishop to slow down Randy's strong fundraising and momentum" and said: "No one is going to take this seriously."
