Letter: Suffolk GOP 'suicidal' without Conservative Party
Edward Walsh, Suffolk Conservative Party chairman and sheriff's lieutenant, leaves federal court in Central Islip on Wednesday, March 25, 2015. Credit: James Carbone
In a Spin Cycle item, Suffolk County Republican chairman John Jay LaValle went far beyond politics with a personal attack on me: "People are disgusted by him" . LaValle could learn a lot from me on a personal level, but also how to be a successful party leader.
November's elections in Suffolk were historic victories for the Conservative Party and a huge disappointment for the Republican Party. LaValle predicted his party would pick up as many as five seats in the county legislature. He got none.
In fact, in every competitive race that a Republican won, the Conservative line was the margin of victory. In most Suffolk races, our line got at least 10 percent of the vote, and in some legislative races 15 to 18 percent.
What is most perplexing is LaValle's vitriolic comment after it was his decision that he didn't want the Conservative Party as a partner. It's a suicidal decision for the Republican Party that he purports to lead. Nothing demonstrates his lack of intelligent leadership more than his treatment of Riverhead Supervisor Sean Walter. Honest, popular and successful, Walter was abandoned by his own Republican Party leaders. With only the Conservative Party's support, he won a historic victory without a major party line.
The Republican Party needs to ask itself whether it wants to try to win next year's elections without Conservative Party support. Republicans also need to ask themselves whether they want to keep allowing LaValle to lead them into oblivion.
Edward M. Walsh Jr., East Islip
Editor's note: The writer is the chairman of the Suffolk County Conservative Party.
