Monday, September 15, 2008

Return Of The Vito In Staten Island?

Rumor, or shall I say a targeted polling operation has it that Vito Fossella may try to re-enter the race for the Congressional seat that still bears his name. Originally Vito dropped his re-election bid when he was arrested for driving under the influence and the subsequent story of his hidden family (hidden from his wife and three kids) surfaced. The result was the not-so-surprising revelation that the GOP is a fractured bunch down in Staten Island.

Now that Straniere is the nominee and the fact remains that he isn't well liked even amongst his own party, perhaps Vito thinks he can become the hero and save the day (or at least hang on to one seat for the Republican caucus). Either way, this sounds like the latest piece of bad news for an already desperate race on the part of the Republicans.

From The NY Post:

Embattled Staten Island congressman Vito Fossella may be trying to make his way back onto the ballot this November, sources confirmed to The Post last night.

Pollsters reached out to Staten Islanders over the weekend looking for their opinions about Fossella, who chose not to seek re-election after being arrested for DWI and amid revelations that he fathered a child with a mistress. The polling was originally reported in the Staten Island Advance.

Making a run on the Republican ticket might be next to impossible because another pol, Robert Straniere, has already locked up the nomination. "I just don't see it," said one friend, noting Fossella's DWI trial starts next month.


I don't see it working out either, but frankly, I don't see it working out well for the GOP no matter what they do. Straniere is the name on the ballot and Vito would have to presumably be a write-in candidate. It may be more probable for that to work on the Island rather than any other borough, but it is still a long shot for them to even get the party to coalesce, let alone the majority of voters. The really sad thing is though (for the GOP) that an attempted Vito comeback may just be the best thing going for them.