by Dave Zornow
Rockland County, May 11 (update 10:50a) — Rockland County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef is denying published reports that he will run for the NYS Senate seat representing Rockland County. According to Elizabeth Benjamin of Capital Tonight, a NY state political talk show on Albany’s Time-Warner Cable, Vanderhoef will run for Tom Morahan’s seat.
At a ribbon cutting ceremony for the opening of the Chef’s Market in Nyack this morning, Vanderhoef was asked if he was running for the State Senate. He replied “no.” Reliable sources say that Morahan will soon announce his retirement from the senate and that Vanderhoef will declare his candidacy.
Both Morahan and Vanderhoef are Republicans. Morahan returned to his senate duties a few months ago after taking time off to receive treatment for leukemia.
Left of the Hudson, a blog covering Lower Hudson politics, said it received an email tip on Sunday confirming Capital Tonight’s story.
Vanderhoef had previously considered running for the Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand U.S. Senate seat but didn’t believe he could raise the $10 to $15 million needed to be competitive. Previously, he ran for Congress in 2002 and was the Republican and Conservative Party candidate for New York’s Lieutenant Governor in 2006. After being sworn in for his fifth term as Rockland County Executive last January, he stated that he was keeping his options open regarding running for statewide office.
Clarkstown Clerk David Carlucci and Ramapo resident Grant Valentine announced last week that they would seek the Democrat nomination for Morahan’s State Senate seat.
Sources: CapitalTonight.com, Left of the Hudson, Politico, Wikipedia
See also: polhudson.lohudblogs.com
Photo Credit: www.co.rockland.ny.us
