State Sen. John DeFrancisco was long seen as the sole Republican willing to be a sacrificial lamb to incumbent Gov. Andrew Cuomo. But with Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro now in the gubernatorial race, DeFrancisco should step aside to ensure Molinaro is the Republican nominee.

DeFrancisco (R-Syracuse), the anticipated GOP nominee, would likely fall victim to New York state’s heavily liberal tilt, considering the expected Democratic wave in the 2018 elections. DeFrancisco has admirably served in the State Senate for more than 25 years and has acted as the state’s deputy majority leader since July 2015. But his age will factor into voters’ perceptions of him as a candidate, especially since it means he has a long voting record to be critiqued. That includes a highly publicized gaffe over the chaos in Charlottesville in August 2017.

This isn’t to say Molinaro, if nominated, would win the election. Even amid intraparty warfare among New York Democrats, ongoing questions about Cuomo’s ethics in light of a corruption conviction against his former aide and a gubernatorial run from “Sex and the City star” Cynthia Nixon, Molinaro would still have to run against an incumbent. But Molinaro gives hope for the future of a party that hasn’t won a statewide election since George Pataki’s re-election in 2002.

Molinaro, 42, has garnered an incredible resume of public service. At 18, he was elected to the board of trustees in his hometown of Tivoli and a year later, he became the youngest mayor in the United States. He held that position for 11 years. Molinaro was elected to the State Assembly before becoming executive of Dutchess County in 2011. Molinaro’s youth and accomplishments may not give the New York GOP a chance at the governor’s mansion in 2018, but they can boost his name recognition for another run down the road.

This was the strategy of former Westchester County Executive and Republican Rob Astorino when he ran for governor in 2014. He lost by 14 points, an accomplishment for him given the lack of financial support for his candidacy and the state’s political leaning. Had he not lost re-election as county executive in 2017 and had Hillary Clinton been elected president, Astorino would have been well-positioned to become governor. But given the anti-Republican sentiment, it seems time to revisit the GOP’s strategy with a clean slate and fresh face.

If current numbers are any indication, Molinaro is already the New York Republican Party’s nominee for governor. His campaign said he has about 50 percent of the weighted vote of Republican State Committee members ahead of the party’s May nominating convention, Syracuse.com reported. But endorsements can change over time, and DeFrancisco’s spokespeople say he plans to continue campaigning for endorsements.

But by continuing his challenge for the governor’s mansion, DeFrancisco is doing more to hurt the Republicans than help them. As he said before he announced his campaign, the party needs to unite behind one candidate long before the convention. DeFrancisco is spot-on, which is why he should step aside for the party to unite around Molinaro.

Brandon Ross is a freshman broadcast and digital journalism major. His column appears biweekly. He can be reached at bross02@syr.edu. 

Published on March 20, 2018 at 10:04 pm