1990 Run For Governor of New York
The Manhattan millionaire—by now styling himself as "Pete" Rinfret—agreed to become the Republican candidate in the 1990 gubernatorial election against Mario Cuomo at the request of former Tresury Secretary William Simon and state Senator Roy Goodman. Rinfret suffered when the Conservative Party of New York declined to cross endorse him and instead gave their support to Dr. Herbert London. Rinfret also contended that the Republican party gave him little or no support, and that there were several key members of the Republican party that was privately supporting London and the Conservatives. Mr. Cuomo went on to win the election with 53 percent, Mr. Rinfret 22 percent and the Conservative candidate, Herbert London, 21 percent. Had Mr. London won a larger percentage the Republican party would have lost the second line of New York State election ballots to the Conservatives.
Pierre considered his run for governor as a moral victory.
"Mario Cuomo was mentioned frequently as a possible Presidential candidate, but after the run against us all that talk died since he won the election with a bare majority. We knocked him out of the Presidential box and out of NY politics. He beat two rank amateurs by the skin of his teeth! Few in the state realized the dire financial and economic condition of the state until my campaign. The very first budget that Mario Cuomo presented to the Legislature after he beat me was almost identical to the one I had proposed and, as the Albany commentators said, "You elect Mario and you get Pierre's budget" Rudy Giuliani beat Dinkins in the next election and the issue was the deteriorating state of New York City! George Pataki beat Mario Cuomo in the next election on some of the very grounds I had initiated, the deterioration in the state. The new head of the Republican party in New York said right after the election "We owe Pierre". Mario Cuomo said to my son Peter about a year ago and I quote, "Your father was far more perceptive than I was"."
Read more about this topic: Pierre Andrew Rinfret
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