Score one more for state Conservative Chairman Mike Long.

State GOP Chairman Ed Cox today officially backed off his plan to run all GOP statewide designees on a new independent line, citing “serious reservations” raised by some candidates and county chairs. Cox broke the news in a memo to GOP county chairs that appears in full after the jump.

(The idea was all-but dead yesterday, when Long informed me Cox had assured him the GOP was moving away from the idea).

Cox hatched the idea at the GOP convention last month as it became increasingly clear that Long’s ploy to tap Rick Lazio to run on Row D prior to the GOP gathering in hopes of blocking Cox’s preferred gubernatorial candidate, Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy, had succeeded.

Long was furious at the time and then doubly furious when word spread recently that Cox was moving forward with the plan.

Long made it clear to all his statewide candidates that he did not want them to agree to run on Cox’s new line.

Lazio’s campaign never commented on the matter. Ditto for state comptroller hopeful Harry Wilson. Staten Island DA Dan Donovan’s AG campaign spokeswoman told me he would review future ballot line opportunities at the appropriate time.

Long is not out of the woods yet, however. Just before Cox’s memo was sent out, Carl Paladino’s campaign announced two GOP US Senate candidates – David Malpass and Gary Berntsen – have agreed to run on his yet-to-be-formed independent line.

Berntsen is the GOP designee to challenge Democratic US Sen. Chuck Schumer. He must face off in a GOP primary challenge against the Conservative designee, Jay Townsend.

Malpass is fighting the GOP designee to take on Democratic US Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, Bruce Blakeman, for Row B. Neither Malpass nor Blakeman has the Conservative nod in that race. That distinction goes to former Rep. Joe DioGuardi.

I’m told it’s possible for a candidate to get off an independent line without being nominated to run for a judgeship, die or move out of state. I’m still not quite clear on how that works, however. (Jump right in here, election law experts).

In the meantime, here’s Cox’s memo:

TO: ALL COUNTY CHAIRS
FROM: Edward F. Cox, State Chairman
RE: Establishment of New Independent Ballot Line
DATE: July 7, 2010

A number of you had approached me prior to the convention about the establishment of an independent ballot line to help support our candidates this year. As a State Party organization it is our responsibility to explore all opportunities that might help our candidates win in the fall. Both candidates and leaders felt that this concept, which had been utilized successfully by the Party in past elections on a state-wide basis, was worthy of consideration again.

Over the last several weeks we have reached out to a number of our stakeholders including all our state-wide candidates, State Vice Chairs, a number of County Chairs, and campaign staff. We have also consulted with the Senate and Assembly on the issue.

It has always been our position that support was necessary from our entire ticket and other key members of our Republican team in order for this idea to move from concept to reality.

After doing our due diligence, we have determined that while the idea had support from candidates and chairs, some had serious reservations about moving forward and as a result, we will not be proceeding with this effort.

My thanks to all of you who participated in this important discussion and offered your advice and assistance. here were a number of County leaders who were enthusiastic about doing the work necessary to establish the line.

We now must take that energy and focus on driving support for our entire state-wide ticket, State Senate, Assembly and Congressional Candidates. Rick Lazio and our entire ticket are aggressively articulating our message – and that message of lower taxes, cutting spending, creating jobs and ending corruption is resonating across this state.

I look forward to seeing you as I continue to travel across the state with and behalf of our candidates. As always, please don’t hesitate to contact me at any time with questions.

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