ALBANY — The state’s top Republican conspicuously refused a vote of confidence for GOP Chairman Joseph Mondello yesterday as two party leaders called for his ouster in the wake of a string of disastrous losses.
“I’ve known Joe for many years,” said Senate Minority Leader Dean Skelos (R-LI), the state’s de facto Republican boss. “I think he’s going to make a careful decision as to whether he should run for re-election in September and whether that will be in the best interest of the party.”
Skelos’ faint support for his fellow Nassau County Republican came as Sen. Martin Golden of Brooklyn and former GOP gubernatorial candidate John Faso called for the chairman to resign.
“It’s time for Chairman Mondello to make a graceful exit,” said Faso, a former Assembly minority leader who challenged Eliot Spitzer for governor in 2006. “Every day that passes is another lost opportunity for restoring a viable two-party system in this state.”
Through a spokesman, Mondello defiantly vowed to seek a third two-year term in September.
“Chairman Mondello took this party when it didn’t have $500 in the bank, ran three successful fund-raising dinners, and has been providing support for candidates across this state,” said spokesman Tony Santino.
He dismissed Faso as “not really a credible source”