Rick Lazio - 2010 New York Gubernatorial Campaign

2010 New York Gubernatorial Campaign

See also: New York gubernatorial election, 2010

In January 2009, Lazio was said to be seriously considering a run in the New York gubernatorial election, 2010. In May 2009, he filed paperwork with the state board of elections to form a campaign committee. Mr. Lazio declared his candidacy for governor in New York City on September 21, 2009, with a formal announcement in Albany, NY on September 22.

On May 28, 2010, Lazio officially received the backing of the New York State Conservative Party. Lazio had already been endorsed by Mike Long, the Conservative Party leader.

On June 2, 2010 Lazio received the New York State Republican Party's designation for Governor, overwhelmingly defeating Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy. Lazio received 59%, Levy 28%, Carl Paladino 8% and Myers Mermel 4%.

Paladino, a candidate backed by the Tea Party movement, petitioned his way onto the ballot and defeated Lazio in the Republican gubernatorial primary on September 14, 2010. Lazio won the Conservative Party primary over dummy candidate Ralph Lorigo on the same day. In the Republican primary, Lazio won most of downstate New York, but lost in all but two counties in upstate New York. On September 27, Lazio announced he was no longer going to run on the Conservative Party line, and would instead become a dummy candidate for a judgeship in the Bronx, allowing the line to be cleared for another candidate. Lazio indicated he had no desire to actually be a judge and would resign immediately in the event he was actually elected to the post (the Bronx has heavy Democratic Party voter enrollment, making such an event highly improbable). He and defeated lieutenant governor candidate Thomas Ognibene were placed in the same Bronx court election against Democrat Edgar G. Walker (with Lazio as the Republican nominee and Ognibene as the Conservative nominee); Walker defeated both candidates.