ALBANY – Buffalo Republican Senator Mark Grisanti acknowledged his re-election battle this year will not be easy, and said he would “very much appreciate’’ if Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo gives him some political support.
“I don’t think I’m going to have a cakewalk at all,’’ Grisanti said in an interview today at the Capitol, acknowledging his troubles with conservatives and religious groups back home, in part, over his vote on the state’s gay marriage law last year.
When Grisanti became one of four Republicans last June to break ranks and join with Cuomo’s call to pass the bill, all sides in the debate assumed the controversial votes could attract Cuomo’s campaign help this fall – either in direct endorsements by the governor of the Republicans or at least his agreeing to sit on the sidelines and not help their Democratic challengers.
Grisanti said he has no discussions with Cuomo on his political future and there was never any talk last year of such help in return for his vote “But if I see the governor and there’s something he can do to help me, I would very much appreciate it,’’ Grisanti said.
Grisanti said his recent bar fight at the Seneca Nation’s Niagara Falls casino also did not make him rethink whether he wants to stay in the public limelight of New York state politics.
“It did not give me any indication of wanting to second think it,’’ he said of his 14-month career in New York state politics. Here is the interview conducted this afternoon at the Capitol – complete with the hallway sounds of a passing tour group of school children:
—Tom Precious
