Rockaway Republicans Overwhelmingly Endorse Weld in Club Straw Poll

May 2, 2006: Continuing its tradition of leaping into the political fray, the recently chartered Rockaway Republicans Club in southern Queens announced its decision to endorse Bill Weld for GOP gubernatorial standard bearer today.

Speaking for his group, Rockaway Republicans President Tom Lynch said, "While we plan to support whoever gains the GOP nod in the coming race, we've decided to back Bill Weld, the former Massachusetts governor and native New Yorker, now. Governor Weld won us over with a frank and forthright presentation on April 25th. His professionalism as a former U.S. Attorney and success as a two-term governor convinced us he'd make the strongest GOP case for a return to fiscally sound, accountable state government."

According to Lynch, the former Massachusetts governor's record of bringing the state, once known as "Taxachusetts," back under fiscal control, reducing taxes and spending, and restoring that state's bond rating, "is just what the doctor ordered for New York." Weld's case for reforming the structure of state government by convening a constitutional convention to institute ten critical reforms he previously outlined also struck a chord, Lynch said.

Rockaway Republicans Chairman George Greco added that, "Bill Weld's sound business instincts, aimed at clearing away the detritus of excess regulation, will also go a long way toward making our state business-friendly again. Too many New Yorkers are fleeing this state while businesses fail to grow or shut their doors. We need a governor who understands that business is our lifeblood and that the way to restore an economy is by boosting, not suppressing, economic activity."

Lynch noted that Weld won the Rockaway Republicans' straw poll with 68% of the 50 votes cast. John Faso, former state Assemblyman, gained 16%, with the remainder abstaining.

"Although our group was impressed with both candidates," said Lynch, "and we believe both worthy of our support, the overwhelming decision was that Governor Weld just brings more experience and more of a track record to the game. As Sean Connery's character so famously said in The Untouchables, you don't bring a knife to a gunfight. Governor Weld is our big gun this election year and we urge others in the GOP to get behind him early so we can break strongly from the starting gate, going into the general election."

The Rockaway Republicans previously voted an early endorsement for John Spencer for United States Senate. Spencer is a former two-term mayor of Yonkers and has the backing of the state's Conservative Party. Says Lynch, "We pick the best candidates, not based on ideology but on ability and principle. Weld and Spencer will make a strong, balanced ticket in the November elections."