GARDEN CITY – Lots of New York Republicans have no memory of the days when their candidates were more than capable of winning statewide elections.
Maybe that's why the Republican State Convention today featured former Gov. George E. Pataki, the last member of the GOP to win across Democratic New York in 2002. It may be 20 years since the party boasted of Pataki's kind of success, but the former governor's remarks and mere presence today aimed at one central idea to a new generation of Republicans: winning in New York can be done.
"People are literally being murdered in the streets. Companies are moving out of state. Jobs are being lost," Pataki told reporters at the Garden City Hotel. "I honestly think we're at a tipping point."
Pataki, who served three terms after defeating Democratic incumbent Mario M. Cuomo in 1994, said he feels he "same sense of optimism" that guided the party during his first gubernatorial campaign. He made a plea for GOP candidates to reach out to African-Americans, Latinos and other minorities who he said represent the same "cross-over" votes that elected him.
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"We win by getting Democrats, independents and minorities to join with Republicans," he said, "because our ideas are right for them."
The former governor earned a rousing ovation before a speech to the convention, wasting no time in tearing into President Biden's handling of the crisis in Ukraine. Pataki continually blamed a "lack of leadership" by the president and Democratic Congress for the Russian invasion ordered by President Vladimir Putin to even take place.
"This didn't have to happen," the said. "We have a weak president who failed to defend our allies at a time of desperation. No one would believe sanctions would stop him. It was an absolute failure of responsibility.
"If it weren't for President Zelenskyy, we would be looking at Putin sitting in Kyiv right now," he added.
The former governor dismissed earlier reports that he might consider running again, and used his appearance to make the case for Republican leadership in Congress to stem what he called Biden's continued foreign policy mistakes, including his "cut and run" retreat from Afghanistan.
"It would be funny if it weren't so tragic," Pataki said.
