The following is by Elizabeth Benjamin of the NY Daily News Politics Blog: own of Ramapo Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence sent a letter this week to all Democratic committee members, state legislators and local elected officials across New York to express his interest in seeking statewide office this fall.

St. Lawrence, a four-term supervisor and two-term county legislator, is “seriously considering” a run for lieutenant governor, according to a source familiar with his plans.

In the letter, which will also be widely distributed throughout the LOB and Capitol tomorrow when the political establishment descends on Albany for the governor’s State of the State address, St. Lawrence hits the high notes of property tax relief, change and an end to the dysfunction that has plagued state government.

“We need leaders who will reform Albany and breathe new life into New York,” St. Lawrence wrote. “People who can extricate the state from the financial crisis that has befallen us. People who will save taxpayer dollars by streamlining government and making it more efficient. People who will ameliorate the crushing property tax burden we face. People who will champion open and honest government and make it more accessible and accountable to the public.”
St. Lawrence has been working to get in the good graces of AG Andrew Cuomo, who is expected to announce a primary challenge to Gov. David Paterson any day now. Last month, the supervisor co-hosted a fundraiser for Cuomo that netted him $100,000.

But the ambitious local elected official hasn’t yet been mentioned in reports of Cuomo’s would-be running mates.

Technically speaking, the LG and governor run separately in New York, which is how odd couples like Al DelBello and Mario Cuomo end up together.

But usually it’s left up to the party’s gubernatorial nominee to select his running mate. Remember there were several announced LG contenders – Leecia Eve, Jon Cohen, then-Assemblyman Tom DiNapoli – in 2006 when Eliot Spitzer passed them all over and chose then-Senate Minority Leader David Paterson instead.

They could have chosen to stick around, petition their way onto the ballot and primary Paterson, but all decided against it.

(Source: NY Daily News Blog / YWN-782 / YWN-112)