Rep. Peter King is leaving the door open for a possible presidential bid.
King represents a congressional district on Long Island. His national profile has soared as head of the House Homeland Security panel.
King says he’s taking a wait-and-see approach to a suggestion by a powerful hometown Republican that he run for president.
“I guess anything can happen but right now I’m just focusing on getting reelected to Congress,” King told 1010 WINS on Wednesday. “What happens with any presidential run right now that’s in the hands of the Nassau Republican Party and we’ll see where it goes.”
Joseph Mondello, the longtime chairman of the Nassau County Republican Committee – once considered among the most powerful GOP organizations in the country – drew widespread applause from 1,100 fellow Long Island Republicans at a dinner Tuesday night when he suggested King consider a candidacy.
“It’s a great honor to be a favorite son of the Nassau County Republican organization,” King said.
Joseph Mondello says King doesn’t speak from a pollster’s cue card. He says King also understands the national debt and the war on terror.
“Should he decide to run I would have no difficulty whatsoever in supporting Peter King — a man of courage, character and integrity,” Mondello told 1010 WINS.
King, 67, held hearings earlier this year on what he termed the radicalization of homegrown Islamic terrorists in America. He is serving his 10th term in Congress and, despite being a favorite of conservative groups, has also worked to build bi-partisan relationships with political foes. He has easily won re-election from his suburban Long Island district.
He has become a leader in advocating for more anti-terrorism funding for New York City and noted he was having dinner with Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a former Democrat and Republican who is now an independent, when he learned of the county chairman’s comments Tuesday night. He also has supported Long Island Democratic Rep. Carolyn McCarthy on some of her gun-control initiatives and was one of only two New York Republicans to vote against impeaching President Clinton.
King said his office receives 15 to 20 telephone calls or e-mails each week from constituents and others urging him to run for president.
(Source: WCBSTV)
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7 Responses
He should run for Senate, not president
If I were a Republican (which, just to be clear, I am not), it would be absolutely humiliating for me to think that I could get into the race for the party’s presidential nomination because Donald Trump turned it down. Rep. Peter King now thinks, well, with Trump not interested, maybe there’s room at the top for me? I am no fan of King, but being the act that follows Trump is extremely demeaning.
As for the guy touting Mr. King – Joseph Mondello – am I correct in thinking that he has some serious criminal charges in his background, or am I confusing him with one of his predecessors as head of the Nassau Republicans. And although King is not, strictly, a part of Nassau County’s disfunctional government, which is in receivership because the Republican government managed to bankrupt one of the richest counties in the US, King will have some ‘splainin’ to do to distinguish himself from his local political party and their profligate ways with taxpayer money. And if the Republican party is ever going to get a Hispanic vote in the next 20 years, it will have to distance itself from Rep. King and his “lock up the border” approach to immigration.
Your proud to say that your not a republican! Shame on you!!
No. 3: Are you talkin’ to me? You talkin’ to me? I guess not, because I said nothing about pride.
Doesn’t seem to me to be appropriate to praise him as a “man of courage” when he is afraid to try or incarcerate Gitmo detainees in the U.S.
2. This isn’t about Trump. He would NOT have been the nominee anyway. As a socialist liberal you have no brain to use when you vote. You drink that liberal kool aid quite well. Who was in control of the purse strings since 96? Your spend happy socialist liberal democrat party, that’s who! The economy tanking clearly leads back to each & every democrat in Congress over the last 5 years. The worst thing President Bush did was listen to you tipshim in the first place.
So how is YOUR hopey changey thingy doing?
No. 6: For a guy (or gal?) who thinks I have no brain, you are most kind to pay me the courtesy of reading and considering my posts. Give yourself an “A” for chesed.