Conservative Party Chairman Mike Long told Fred Dicker on his Talk-1300 radio show Wednesday morning that he believes Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino was seriously considering a run for governor, though he urged Republican leaders to not dismiss Carl Paladino’s threat of running out of hand.

“I think he’s dead serious about running for governor,” Long said in the interview.

Another potential Republican candidate, Assemblyman Steve McLaughlin expressed his hope there can be some sort of unity between Republicans and Conservatives in taking on Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

“What I’m hopeful for is we have a unified ticket because certainly it’s going to be difficult to beat an incumbent,” McLaughlin told NY State of Politics blog. “It always is. But if you have a split ticket, it becomes especially difficult to beat that incumbent. I’m hoping that there’s common ground and we find a way to coalesce around one candidate whether it’s me or Rob Astorino.”

As for his own chances of running, McLaughlin said “certainly by the end of this year” he would make a decision.

But a combative Paladino is threatening to crumble the bit of support the Republicans now enjoy statewide if they don’t cave in to his demands of getting rid of the RINOs.

“I intend to change the Republican Party as we have known it and interrupt the dance with the voluntary or forced resignation of previously identified RINO (Republican In Name Only) County chairs, Dean Skelos as Majority Leader of the Senate and Brian Kolb as the Minority Leader of the Assembly,” Mr. Paladino write in an email to Republican leaders and operatives. “They require punishment for their unforgivable misdeeds of neglecting the values of those who put them in office and failing to provide legitimate opposition to the State’s Democratic Party machine which, without formidable opposition, produces criminal legislators and liberal progressive legislation at an alarming rate.”

“When the phonies are expelled from their leadership roles and the Republican Party backs a moderate gubernatorial candidate acceptable to the rank and file with proper financing and the intestinal fortitude to fight the good fight, the rank and file will rejoin the fold,” he further argued. “If this does not happen, I will ask the Conservative Party for its endorsement and lead disenfranchised rank-and-file Republicans to a place where RINOs are not welcome, the status quo is unacceptable and substantive conservative values are not to be played with.”

In his interview with Fred Dicker, Mr. Long wouldn’t commit to either Paladino or Astorino. But said that when it comes to the Buffalo businessman (Carl Paladino), Republicans ”would be wise to listen to his voice.”

(Jacob Kornbluh – YWN)