Your Conservative Party team

Mike Long was re-elected the state chairperson of the Conservative Party at a convention held in Queens this past Saturday. I was re-elected a vice chairperson and Fran Vella-Marrone was re-elected the state treasurer. Ross Brady, Liam McCabe and David Ryan, all from Kings County, were re-elected to the 55-member state party Executive Committee.

Mike is the longest serving state chairperson of any political party in the state.

Additionally, at a meeting of the Brooklyn Conservative Party held last week at the Bay Ridge Manor, I was re-elected the Brooklyn chairperson, Fran Vella-Marrone, the vice chairperson, David Ryan, the executive secretary, and Ross Brady, the treasurer.

The Conservative Party in Brooklyn also nominated six candidates for State Supreme Court last week. With this selection, there will be a full slate of candidates on the Conservative Party line Column “C.”

And with those nominations made, the only thing that remains for the party organizations which have been involved in nominations, petitions, primaries and organizing meetings since May is to campaign for their candidates and get the vote out on November 8, which is only a few weeks away.

Most of all this is done by volunteers. For some political volunteers, it has been close to a full-time job. They make the wheels turn in a political system that is the foundation of our democracy. We should all be thankful for their efforts.

* * *I wonder if Governor Cuomo will decide not to run for a third term. These scandals surrounding his administration hit very close to home. I cannot imagine how he can continue to enjoy his job, knowing that his entire statewide economic development efforts and future plans are being derailed by allegations of bid rigging and payoffs. And his best friend and closest political confidante, who was his campaign manager twice and second in command of the executive chamber, is under federal indictment for crimes against the state government.

Third terms are hard to win in the first place. Running for one with Cuomo’s recently acquired baggage will certainly be daunting.

I suspect his final decision will be heavily influenced by the lead-up to pleas and eventual trials for those who do not make deals. Cuomo may not be guilty of anything beyond mismanaging his responsibilities through the selection of corrupt staffers. Or he may have known more. Either way he is damaged.

* * *A number of senior members of the Cuomo Administration must have seen this coming. Months ago, most high ranking members of Cuomo’s economic development team found new jobs outside of state government. Many of us at the time found this odd since they were dedicated, well-respected economic development professionals who believed in their work.

Although none will say so, I can only assume they had a sense that something real bad was coming down.