Staten Island GOP power broker Guy Molinari dumped mayoral candidate Joe Lhota and is now backing Adolfo Carrion to become the Republican nominee for mayor, The Post has learned.
“I’m not going with Lhota. I’m finished with him,” Molinari told the Post of the stunning move.
“I’m backing Carrion. I’d like to see Adolfo Carrion become the candidate of the Republican Party.”
Molinari, the former island borough president and congressman, helped pull out the island vote to elect Rudy Giuliani and Mike Bloomberg mayor in an overwhelmingly Democratic city.
Molinari slammed what he described as “amateur hour’’ in the Lhota campaign after claiming they refused to return his phone calls about strategy. Molinari said there was discussion last week about a joint press conference where he was supposed to formally endorse Lhota – but it fell through.
“I’m no damn fool,” Molinari said.
Carrion, the former Bronx Democratic borough president, recently switched his registration to independent. He needs the backing of the three of the five GOP county leaders for the right to run in a Republican primary.
Staten Island is considered the political base of the city Republican Party and a key vote for any GOP candidate to have a prayer of winning the mayoralty.
“Carrioi is a fine man. I welcome the opportunity to have a Latino head the Republican ticket in New York City,” Molinari said.
When reached for comment Lhota said, “I have the utmost respect for Guy Molinari, but to read about his announcement in the press was very surprising. As always, I wish Guy all the best.”