Yesterday the New York Post reported that Jeanine Pirro's husband was working behind her back to get her to drop campaign to challenge Senator Clinton:
Details of the plot involving Bruno, Pataki, Albert Pirro, and other top state Republican leaders were outlined to The Post by sources close to all three.
The sources, who insisted on anonymity, said the plot had been in the works for weeks and eventually involved several discussions between Bruno, Pataki, Albert Pirro and other high-level Republicans including former U.S. Sen. Alfonse D'Amato.
"After weeks of discussions, they all agreed that Jeanine's campaign was going nowhere and was in danger of collapse," said one of the sources. "Al Pirro became increasingly concerned that his wife's only hope for a credible race was running for attorney general, not running against Clinton.
Today the Post reports that Pirro and her husband claim he was just trying to further her "political aspirations:"
"Any private conversations I have had were solely intended to support Jeanine's political aspirations," Al Pirro said.
My wife made it very clear on Friday that she is a candidate for U.S. Senate, and I fully support her decision.
Despite what sources told The Post were her own husband's surprising attempts to nudge her from the race, Jeanine Pirro said in a separate statement issued a short time later that he was only looking out for her.
"Any discussions my husband may have had were with my best interest at heart," the outgoing Westchester County district attorney said. "Any other suggestion is ridiculous."
While it's fun to look at this as a Pirro family squabble, its really a desperate effort to retain Republican control over the New York State Senate.
According to the Journal News, a strong Republican candidate for attorney general could serve as a "firewall" to protect GOP state Senate candidates farther down the ballot, and Pirro is perceived to be the strongest possible Republican candidate for attorney general.
If Pirro runs for Attorney General, then former Yonkers Mayor John Spencer can be placed on the ballot as the U.S. Senate candidate. Spencer may also appeal to the GOP's base of more conservative voters upstate and boost turnout in favor of Republican state Senate candidates.
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