New York Republicans have not won a statewide race (governor, attorney general, comptroller, US senator) in 12 years, mostly because NY is a solidly blue state by registration, but also because they have run lousy candidates.
That may well change in 2018, when popular Rep. Chris Gibson, NY-19, has said he will abide by a "self-imposed term limit" of eight years and give up his House seat.
Gibson tells his own story pretty effectively in this 2014 campaign ad:
On Wednesday, Gibson was pressed by Fred Dicker, a Murdoch Republican booster who hosts a radio show in Albany, about running for governor in 2018. He left that big door wide open:
That’s not something I’m planning on. But you never know. (We’ll) take it one day at a time here and focus on our service. Dicker did not mention the "self-imposed term limit" or the other major statewide race in 2018, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand's presumed re-election run, but he was clearly impressed by Gibson and was talent-scouting him for higher office.Dicker is assuredly not alone in that.
More, below.