NEW YORK Independence Party founder Tom Golisano, an upstate billionaire, strongly suggested yesterday that he’ll make another run for governor this year.
The conservative Golisano – whose 1998 gubernatorial campaign cut into Gov. Pataki’s upstate vote – told The Post that he thinks “every day” about making a third bid for governor, and pledged a decision “within 60 days.”
Golisano, founder of the huge, Rochester-based paycheck-processing firm, Paychex Inc., also said he would use his considerable influence to prevent the Independence Party from endorsing Pataki, despite growing pressure from some party activists to support him.
“I didn’t get involved in this new party movement to support other party’s candidates,” Golisano said.
“I do think about running for the same office again, I think about it every day. I’m interested in doing it,” he continued.
“I would enjoy being governor of the state.
“A lot of things that were supposed to be transpiring in the last eight years, in my opinion, haven’t happened,” said Golisano, referring to Pataki’s two terms in office.
Meanwhile, Golisano said if he decides against running for governor, he’ll encourage party members to support “the most conservative candidate” in the field – and he said that’s not necessarily Pataki.
Early last week, a well-known Rochester-area Independence leader began circulating a memo suggesting that Pataki offer Golisano a job – to encourage him to stay out of the governor’s race.
“I am sure a more compatible role exists for Mr. Golisano, and I urge Gov. Pataki to seriously consider offering one,” said the memo, a copy of which was obtained by The Post.
Pataki campaign manager Adam Stoll refused to say if the governor wants Independence Party support, contending only, “The governor is reaching out to people across the state without regard to party affiliations.”
But a source close to Pataki’s campaign said the governor wanted the party’s line on the November ballot in hopes of picking up support from the growing number of self-described independent voters.
Stoll, meanwhile, also refused to comment on Golisano’s criticisms of Pataki.
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Last week’s landslide loss by Manhattan Republican Assemblyman John Ravitz in a state Senate race is being blamed by powerful GOP insiders on Sen. Guy Velella, the Bronx GOP chairman who heads the Senate Republican Campaign Committee.
“We had no vote-pulling on Election Day, and the Democrats did,” said a GOP leader with firsthand knowledge of the situation.
“Velella spent over $2 million on the campaign, and we lose by 18 percentage points to Liz Krueger?
“It’s ridiculous, and it shows the campaign was totally out of touch with the district,” the GOP leader continued.