by Gary L. Perry, Tioga County
Larry Sharpe cannot win the NY State Governor’s election this November.
Unfortunately, the only viable pathway to a Larry Sharpe victory in the NY State Governor’s race was not taken by the campaign. Although originally interested and excited about using the “Opportunity To Ballot” (OTB) option as a possible pathway to victory the Larry Sharpe campaign has chosen not to follow that path.
The OTB is a legal way for a 3rd Party candidate to force a primary election in a major political Party. Collecting the OTB designating petition signatures would have been very doable. However, winning a primary election is challenging and would have required some resources and commitment from Larry Sharpe and his campaign which they originally assured me that we would have.
For reasons unclear to me the Larry Sharpe campaign made the decision to pass designating petitions for Larry Sharpe for Governor on Republican Party Petitions. (see attached) This is in direct conflict of NY State Election law.
See Section 6-120.3 Designation and nominations; restrictions
" 1. A petition, except as otherwise herein provided, for the purpose of designating any person as a candidate for party nomination at a primary election shall be valid only if the person so designated is an enrolled member of the party referred to in said designating petition at the time of the filing of the petition."
Our mission is to replace Andrew Cuomo as the NY State Governor. Following through with the campaign slogan begun over five years ago “Cuomo’s Gotta Go”. Andrew Cuomo has brought the citizens of New York State increased and never ending tax increases, increased state spending, increased corporate give-aways (billions in corporate welfare) and the never ending corruption trials taking place in Manhattan and Buffalo that these failed economic stimulus programs breeds, failed common core education, “free” college tuition and never ending anti-2ndAmendment legislation.
Under Andrew Cuomo’s policies NY State is bleeding manufacturing and small business and the jobs that they create. Working class families and college educated young adults are leaving the state in droves seeking good high paying jobs available in other state. Working people and retired state employees of all ages across the entire state are leaving NY State for lower taxes found in many other state.
For those of us who are left who want to fix NY State’s failed fiscal and economic policies we know we must defeat Andrew Cuomo in November.
History and election statistics prove to us that Larry Sharpe appearing on only the 3rd Party Libertarian ballot line simply cannot defeat Cuomo. Going back five elections (20 years) we see failed attempt after failed attempt by 3rd Party candidates to defeat the Democrat and Republican Party candidates.
Please visit the NY State Board Of Elections website and look at the previous election stats to see for yourself. http://www.elections.ny.gov/2018ElectionResults.html
Wealthy former New Yorker Tom Golisano ran in three successive elections as a 3rd Party candidate and had far more resources available to him than the Larry Sharpe campaign and he never came close to winning. The past two gubernatorial elections the Libertarian Party has failed to gain 50,000 votes establishing their Party on a ballot line.
As the recent events have unfolded it has proven to me that the Libertarian Party knows that Larry Sharpe has literally no chance of winning the Governor’s election. What the Libertarians hope to accomplish is getting 50,000 votes on the Libertarian line making it easier in future elections for Libertarian candidates to get on the ballot for many different elective office positions. (Ballot Access)
Larry Sharpe in his own words: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXkd15Xe1e4
This year there is a very real chance to defeat Andrew Cuomo (Cuomo’s Gotta Go) with a combined Republican Party / Conservative Party / Reform Party candidate. While I will always support giving the voters a choice in a primary election the Larry Sharpe campaign has decided not to pursue the legal process to do this. Any signatures collected for Larry Sharpe on a Republican Party ballot will be null and void at the Board Of Elections office in Albany when they are submitted and filed.
After spending time with Republican Party candidate Marc Molinaro last week I have learned that with Marc Molinaro as the candidate we support we have a very real opportunity to defeat Cuomo (Cuomo’s Gotta Go). For these reasons the only real choice, at this time, to replace Andrew Cuomo and end four more years of Cuomo’s destructive tax and spend policies is to support Marc Molinaro.
For those of us who continue to insist on supporting Larry Sharpe for Governor, I highly recommend getting behind the “Larry Sharpe For Governor 2022 movement”. This could be, and should be, the long game or the 10 to 20-year plan several of you have spoken about.
To throw away a chance to defeat Andrew Cuomo (Cuomo’s Gotta Go) this year hoping to gain ballot access for the Libertarian Party is a terrible sell-out to your principled fellow Conservative family members, friends and neighbors. I cannot in good conscience even consider enslaving my children, family members and friends with four more years of Andrew Cuomo just to gain easier Ballot Access for the Libertarian Party.
What will be left of NY State and it’s citizens and for any 3rd Party designs after 2 - 4 more years of Andrew Cuomo doubling down on his Progressive tax and spend policies and “give-aways” as he works to position himself even further to the left as the most Progressive Governor in the country for a Presidential bid in 2020?
This November a vote for Larry Sharpe is the same as a vote for Andrew Cuomo. I am asking everyone to please consider the reality of this situation here in NY State and join me in voting for Marc Molinaro in November and defeating Andrew Cuomo (Cuomo’s Gotta Go) and then get behind the “Larry Sharpe For Governor 2022 movement” starting this December.
