Exclusive scoops & insider gossip by Gerson Borrero

Blame Ed Cox for Cuomo’s sure ride in November

A lot of loose Republican lenguas are blaming Ed Cox for the inability to have a credible candidate to oppose incumbent Governor Cuomo. “He put all his political stock in Harry Wilson and with Harry’s decision to not run for governor this leaves Republicans in the lurch,” said a frustrated Republican bochinchero who blames the New York State Chairman of his party for what he describes as the "latest Cox fuck-up.”

Another Republican bochinchero who wasn’t sold on the wealthy businessman from Scarsdale and considers Cox out of step with “the modern Republican Party” wrote me the following: “We had a great candidate, Marc Molinaro, who would have run a respectable race and highlighted his time in the legislature and as county executive. It would have put him on the path for 2022. Now, I imagine we won’t win in ‘18 or have anyone for ‘22 either.”

Several of the Republican bochincheros I’ve spoken to separately believe Cuomo was beatable and all have criticisms of their party Chairman. “It’s always Ed Cox’s fault. He’s out of touch.” When asked why this is happening, one young Republican told me: “Who knows? His great great grandfather hit his head on one of the beams stepping off the Mayflower.”

The critical bochincheros seem to agree that they also don’t have credible candidates for four statewide races. One bochinchero added, “same thing with this senate race against Gillibrand, why not push a hungry up-and-comer against her and try to challenge her [not win]. It’s good for the national party and good for the younger Republican if they run a credible race. Instead we will have one of his [Ed Cox's] dumb rich friends.”

Ed Cox is one despised Republican among some of his own party members who feel that New York State will probably be stuck with Andrew M. Cuomo for four more años.

Looking for comités at NYC Council

This bochinche was even hard for me to believe. Pero, according to a top bochinchero in The Bronx, Rafael Salamanca, Jr. has landed the powerful Land Use comité. “It’s a done deal,” I was assured by the bochinchero in a phone conversation on Sunday. Veremos soon.

The bochinchero wasn’t as sure that Rubén Díaz would get what he wants. “He wants Transportation,” said the bochinchero. “He made it clear to Corey from the beginning that that’s what he wanted.” If that’s what the polemic político wants and he gets it then the new Speaker will have paz for a while.

Mucho buzz and some bochinche about what Brad Lander, (District 39, Brooklyn) Mark Levine, (District 7, Manhattan) Ben Kallos, (District 5, Manhattan) Eric Ulrich, (District 32 Queens), Ydanis Rodríguez (District 10, Manhattan) and Justin Brannan (District 43 Brooklyn) get since none of them are supposedly keeping their current comités. The reasons for each sounds logical and strange at the same time. There’s more minuses involved with each of them keeping their comités. We’ll know soon.

Conservative Caucus coming to NYC Council

“All he needs is four.” was the response from a bochinchero who is a close ally of the polemic Rubén Díaz when asked if the Conservative Caucus that I wrote about months ago would in fact be created. The vaquero hat-wearing Díaz is already talking to a handful of his new colegas that are like minded in their views. “There could be as many as six or eight.” Given the inner workings of the New York City Council and Díaz’s experience in leveraging power as he did with the Four Amigos (Senators Carl Kruger, Hiram Monserrate and Pedro Espada, Jr, and himself) in Albany back in 2009. It could make for some major dolores de cabeza for Speaker Johnson. However, a bochinchero who knows how the senior Díaz thinks and acts opines that, “The Rev is precise in stating what he wants and those who are like minded in the Council will be quick to join or pass.” A conservative Caucus in 2018 NYC Council politics...¡que bochinche!

Political club is major problema for Assemblyman in Brooklyn

Assemblyman Felix Ortiz (51st AD) has an unwanted vecino moving into his district. “The key members of the club have already met,” a bochinchero with first hand knowledge of the effort told me. “We’re having the first formal public event in February.”

According to the bochinchero, among those involved in the creation of the Democratic political club is Carlos Menchaca (District 38). As Bochinche & Buzz readers and political junkies know, Ortiz challenged the New York City Councilmember in last year's September primary. Menchaca defeated Ortiz and went on to win reelection. Now, it’s payback tiempo. “This is more than talk. This new club will run candidates and the first one will be against Ortiz in a primary this year,” said another bochinchero familiar with the effort.

Don’t you just love the game of get even politics?