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Chris Collins
Collins vs. Hochul? Ex-County Exec Won’t Rule It Out
Jan 6th - 1:17 pm
Former Erie County Executive Chris Collins, a Republican who was ousted by Democrat Mark Poloncarz in November, has officially been out of a job for just six days now, but already is mulling a potential return to the public sector.
Multiple sources said Collins has been talking himself up as a potential challenger to Democratic freshman Rep. Kathy Hochul, who stunned the political world at both the state and national levels last year when she defeated Republican Assemblywoman Jane Corwin in a special election for the GOP-dominated 26th Congressional District seat held ex-Rep. Chris Lee (felled by Craigslist sex scandal).
During a brief phone interview this afternoon, Collins insisted that he isn’t spreading this rumor and doesn’t know who is, although he’s flattered to be mentioned as a potential Hochul opponent. He also didn’t rule out the possibility that he might indeed run this fall, but said he wants to wait and see what the new district lines look like before making a final decision.
“Any discussions like that are very premature,” Collins said. “…I’ll never say never. I think any political person that would is probably lying to you.”
“I’ve enjoyed being in public service, and obviously I wanted four more years…But right now, I am stepping back into private businesses and helping out where I can. I’m looking at different options, since I’ve only been out of office for a week.”
“I had 24 bad hours after the election, but I recovered pretty quickly after I looked at the results and that with the exception of the City of Buffalo and Lackawana, the voters of Erie County wanted to continue along the same path.”
NY-26 currently includes portions of seven counties – all of Genesee, Livingston, and Wyoming and parts of Erie, Monroe, Niagara and Orleans. Until the 2002 redistricting, most of this area was in the 27th District, which is currently represented by Democrat Rep. Brian Higgins.
Len Lenihan Confident In Poloncarz
Nov 8th - 10:30 pm
YNN’s Doug Sampson talked to Erie County Chairman Len Lenihan a little after the polls closed at 9pm tonight, and Lenihan seemed confident that Mark Poloncarz is going to win.
Here’s the interview.
Blaming Siena
Nov 8th - 3:28 pm
ICYMI: Erie County GOP Chairman Nick Langworthy told me during a CapTon interview last night that the first Siena poll, which he deemed “flawed,” is to blame for the dead-heat contest between incumbent Republican Executive Chris Collins and his Democratic opponent, Comptroller Mark Poloncarz.
“A major point of contention with the first Siena poll was the city vote was equated to 25 percent of the total county that didn’t even happen in the year that Barack Obama won the presidency. So, it was a flawed survey and I believe that manufactured this campaign in what we see today and how close it is,” the chairman said.
“…The flawed poll certainly gave momentum to the other side and brought special interest donations from around New York State into this race. It changed the dynamic, showing that the race was closer than I believe it was at the time. And the money has funneled in from every labor union under the sun…I do not believe that the race was this close at that time. But right now, the only poll that matters is the one that’s going to hapen tomorrow when voters go to the polls and vote their conscience.”
Langworthy, a Collins ally, was careful not to accuse Siena of purposefully engineering (my word) the poll to assist the Democrats. He’s also not the only person to suggest poll No. 1 skewed the race somehow. Erie County Legislator Kevin Hardwick said something similar to The Capitol’s Chris Bragg, explaining:
“I really believe that was a bad poll, inasmuch as it seemed to predict a higher turnout than you’ll see in the city, but it in a sense becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy because the poll awakened the Democratic base.”
Republicans took issue with the Oct. 10 Siena poll that showed Poloncarz trailing Collins by just three percentage points, insisting the Democrat-dominated city of Buffalo had been over-sampled. That poll put city voters at 25 percent of the total turnout, compared to 19 percent in this weekend’s survey, which showed both candidates at 48 percent.
Greenberg insisted during a CapTon interview (also last night) that nothing had changed in Siena’s approach to screen out likely voters.
Oddly, Collins himself is now claiming the 48-48 poll was helpful to him because it motivated his base.
“There was a period of time when my supporters would say, ‘You’ve done such a good job, how can this be?’” the county executive told the Buffalo News. “This has my supporters concerned enough so that they are more energized than ever before. These people do not want to go back to the dark days.”
Unions Hit The Airwaves To Hit Collins (Updated)
Nov 8th - 12:39 pm
This anti-Chris Collins ad running out in WNY was paid for by AFSCME, but is part of a larger independent expenditure by a coalition of organized labor unions in support of Mark Poloncarz.
Red Horse Strategies did this ad, and Doug Forand informs me the IE also includes mail, GOTV and radio. The unions are involved in this race in a very big way, which is a good thing for Poloncarz, because, as Siena’s Steve Greenberg has said since the 48-48 poll came out over the weekend, this contest is all coming down to turnout.
UPDATE: I’m told the buy for the TV ad alone is $100,000, plus another $100,000 for the radio spot, which you can listen to here:
The Buffalo News’ Bob McCarthy reported this morning that there’s “no indication” Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown bothered to mobilize his operation on Poloncarz’s behalf – despite the fact that he endorsed his fellow Democrat (presumedly at Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s urging). Erie County Democratic Chairman Len Lenihan – no fan of Brown and on the outs with the Cuomo camp – told McCarthy: “I’m confident the mayor is doing what he can do.” He did not go into detail about what that effort might entail – if anything.
The enrollment breakdown in Erie County is as follows: 311,130 Democrats, 163,155 Republicans, 12,583 Conservatives, 3,021 WFP members, 27,293 Independence Party members and 102,336 blanks. The bulk of the Democrats are in the City of Buffalo, however, and the Republicans – in what is becoming a habit/strategy – didn’t field a slate in the city so as not to give urban voters any additional incentives to come to the polls.
Erie County GOP Chairman Nick Langworthy insisted to me during a CapTon interview last night that the party isn’t trying to surpress the Buffalo vote by not running any candidates within the city limits, but rather has difficulty finding qualified – and, perhaps more importantly – willing Republicans to run for office.
Here’s the AFSCME ad script:
“How bad is Erie’s job loss under Chris Collins? We’ve lost one job every two-and-a-half hours every single day of every month of every year since Collins took over. Over 13,000 jobs lost – 13,000 families who can’t pay their mortgage, 13,000 parents struggling to feed and clothe their kids, 13,000 dimmer futures. So, if Chris Collins won’t protect our jobs, why should we protect his?”
Paladino Says Collins Vote Is Vote Against ‘Albany Cabal’
Nov 8th - 10:53 am
Never one to disappoint, Carl Paladino sent out a GOTV email and facebook post this morning saying that a vote to re-elect County Executive Chris Collins is a vote against the “Cuomo/Silver Albany cabal.”
Paladino, the tea party-backed 2010 GOP gubernatorial candidate, writes that Albany has become distracted by a “contrived” $10 billion deficit and the legalization of same-sex marriage, both of which made it difficult for the state to create jobs.
And he rails against “hand-picked” candidates by Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
The note also asks voters to back Chris Jacobs, who is running to replace Rep. Kathy Hochul as county clerk, and a handful of down-ballot Republican county legislators.
From the email:
Today, you have the opportunity to elect or re-elect candidates who have delivered and support the type of reforms we have sought. You will be saying NO to the Cuomo/Silver Albany cabal who with their special interests have continued to malign the citizens of New York and who now seek to control our County government. The last session of our Legislature miserably failed to address any issues material to lowering taxes and creating jobs instead distracting the people with a contrived $10BIL deficit and gay marriage.
Andrew Cuomo’s handpicked candidates will seek to return Erie County to those special interest groups who have little regard for the taxpayers.
We don’t need a tax-and-spend politician bought and paid for by unions. We need CHRIS COLLINS for County Executive. CHRIS has delivered 1) smaller government 2) lower taxes and 3) a strong fiscal plan of significant debt reduction and building a safe surplus to protect our future and most important, our kid’s futures. That’s why I’m voting for CHRIS COLLINS and asking you to do the same.
Collins GOTV: A ‘Handful’ Could Decide Election
Nov 8th - 10:28 am
Erie County Executive Chris Collins sent out a “I’m-in-the-fight-of-my-life” notice to supporters this morning, saying what we all know at this point: his race against Democrat Mark Poloncarz is a dead heat.
From the letter:
You may have heard that the race for Erie County Executive is close, and your vote is critically important in determining whether or not we continue on the path of prosperity for four more years, or, return to the dark days of the Red/Green budget crisis. We are not taking a single vote for granted. Your support is very important, and I humbly and respectfully ask for your vote today. A handful of votes could make or break this election.
Liz sat down with Collins’s biggest supporter, Erie County Republican Chairman Nick Langworthy, who said he was confident the race would go the incumbent’s way. But he denied the notion that his party decided to not run down-ballot candidates in Buffalo out of concern competitive races would drive up Democratic turnout.
Poloncarz, the current county comptroller, received some last-minute help in the form of Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who took a trip out to western New York to stump for the Democratic hopeful.
Cuomo probably wouldn’t mind seeing Collins, who is believed to have designs on running for governor in 2014, go down in defeat today. The reverse, of course, is if Collins wins, he can claim an early victory by extension against the popular governor.
The full letter is after the jump. More >
Malpass Spreads GrowPAC Love Around
Nov 7th - 2:46 pm
David Malpass, the unsuccessful 2010 US Senate candidate who has been using his political action committee, GrowPAC, to keep his hand in New York’s political mix, has cut four robocalls for four GOP county executive incumbents and/or hopefuls – one of whom isn’t even on the ballot.
Malpass recorded calls for Dutchess County executive candidate Marc Molinaro, Nassau Suffolk County executive candidate Angie Carpenter, Erie County Executive Chris Collins and Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino. Of that group, only Astorino, who ousted incumbent Democrat Andy Spano in 2009, won’t be appearing on the ballot tomorrow. But he is backing a slate of GOP legislative candidates in hopes of flipping the Democrat-controlled body into more friendly hands.
“We’re very pleased to ask voters to vote for our endorsed candidates on Election Day November 8, 2011,” Malpass and his wife, Adele, who co-chairs GROW PAC, said in a press release.
“New York’s counties are critical to the pro-growth wave of change underway in America and will help fight for fiscal reform while keeping taxes down. Strong, fiscally conservative leaders are key to economic development and private sector job growth.”
Malpass, who finished second in the three-way GOP primary last year, hasn’t ruled out a 2012 re-match against Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who easily defeated her GOP opponent, former Rep. Joe DioGuardi, last fall. He was not, however, included on the list of potential Gillibrand challengers in this morning’s NY Post, which floated a new name: Failed Republican 2010 state comptroller contender Harry Wilson.
Dems Attack Collins For Parking In Handicap Spot
Nov 3rd - 11:08 am
The Erie County Executive race is starting to get dirty.
Today the state Democratic Party attacked Republican incumbent Chris Collins for parking in a handicap spot back in July and then again in October. The illegal parking was reported by Buffalo weekly paper Artvoice and also wnymedia.net.
Democratic Party Executive Director Charlie King fired off this missive in a press release just moments ago.
“King Collins is at it again, showing blatant disregard for the law – not to mention common decency – by parking in a handicapped spot outside a local high school this summer. The kicker is – based on these photos – Collins had plenty of non-handicapped parking options. I’d like to say I’m surprised, but I’m not. This pattern of behavior has happened before, and knowing this guy’s arrogance, it’ll happen again.”
This race is seen to be one of the closest in the state for this off-year election. A Siena College poll from a few weeks ago showed that Collins only had a 3 point lead over Democratic challenger Mark Poloncarz. Siena is expected to be out with another poll in coming days. And Governor Cuomo will be holding a get out the vote rally for Poloncarz tomorrow in Amherst.
Cuomo For Poloncarz
Oct 20th - 2:35 pm
Erie County Comptroller Mark Poloncarz’s campaign just announced that Gov. Andrew Cuomo has formally endorsed the WNY Democrat in his campaign to oust GOP Erie County Executive Chris Collins.
The endorsement is coming via press release – for the moment. But, according to the Poloncarz campaign, the governor will be making a trip west to hit the hustings with the candidate “in the coming days.” In the meantime, here’s his statement:
“Mark has done an outstanding job as Erie County Comptroller. He has rooted out waste and fraud and fought hard to protect the taxpayers of Erie County. He will make the tough decisions necessary to reform Erie County government.”
“His experience and commitment make him the clear choice to move Erie County into the future, and I look forward to working with him to strengthen the economy of Western New York and improve the quality of life for all the people of the county. I urge you to vote for Mark Poloncarz for Erie County Executive.”
This shouldn’t come as a big surprise. As I wrote last week, it would be very helpful for Cuomo to have Collins out of the way when 2014 rolls around. And since the Siena poll – rejected by the Collins camp – showed Poloncarz within striking distance, it stands to reason that the state’s most popular Democrat would at least lend his name to help his party out in a local race.
After all, he already did as much – more, actually, in the form of an in-person appearance at a fundraiser, for Democratic Suffolk County executive candidate Steve Bellone, who’s running for the office being vacated by another short-lived 2010 Cuomo rival, Democrat-turned-Republican Executive Steve Levy.
It will be interesting to see just how deeply involved Cuomo gets in the Poloncarz-Collins race. The state Democratic Party, which he controls, is already deeply involved. But, as the Buffalo News’ Bob McCarthy noted recently, Erie County Democratic politics is not easily navigated – as state Democratic Party Executive Director Charlie King knows all too well.
Yet Another State Dems Attack On Collins
Oct 13th - 12:13 pm
As Liz wrote yesterday, there are signs Gov. Andrew Cuomo has more than a few tacit connections in the Erie County executive race against Republican Chris Collins.
That includes a $10,000 donation from Albany lobbyist and lawyer Jerry Weiss to Democratic challenger Mark Poloncarz.
And today, Democratic Party spokesman Rich Horner sends out a statement knocking Collins for picking a National Fuel executive to serve as his top deputy. But, as the Buffalo News notes, the executive will keep his job with the company while also working for the county. The executive, Jeffrey Hart, plans to donate his $104,000 county pay to charity.
The New York State Democratic Party calls on Erie County Executive Chris Collins to release all documents relating to the eye-popping agreement between Collins and National Fuel Gas Company. Collins’ Deputy County Executive Jeffrey Hart is ‘on loan’ from National Fuel and collects a salary from the company, all while National Fuel rakes in business from the Collins administration. Chris Collins should release all records and come clean immediately about whether National Fuel has gotten sweetheart deals in exchange for campaign cash because of the unusual arrangement of having an employee on the inside of the Collins administration.
At the very least, Hart’s appointment is a clear conflict of interest and violates every good government protocol. In its worst light, Collins is practicing pay-to-play. People should know the real deal. These are ethical questions that demand answers and the people of Erie County deserve to know exactly what this arrangement means for them. Did National Fuel get sweetheart deals because their PAC and former CEO contributed $37,000 to his campaign? Did Hart steer any contracts or business to his real employer National Fuel? Is his compensation tied to any business-generating incentive with Erie County?
Collins’ Democratic challenger Mark Poloncarz has come up with a plan to make his Deputy County Executive a ‘Jobs Czar’ with actual duties like economic development and job creation. Poloncarz is not interested in lining millionaire’s pockets with more money, but in making sure the hardworking taxpayers of Erie County can make ends meet.
The new focus on the Collins-Poloncarz race comes after a Siena College poll showing a slight lead for Poloncarz, 49-46. The survey was rejected out of hand by the Collins campaign. Still, with the weight of the Democratic Party behind Poloncarz, who has struggled to race funds against a Republican with statewide aspirations, the race would see heightened attention in the lead-up to Election Day.
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