Joe Mondello

Spotted in Minneapolis: Cindy Adams pumping New York State G.O.P. Chairman Joe Mondello for information.

I just ran into New York State Republican Party Chairman Joe Mondello at the Malden rest stop on the Thruway, just outside the Catskills. He, like me, was on his way to Albany. But unlike me, Mondello didn't seem like he had been surprised by the announcement that Bruno will not seek reelection.

“I’ve been a longtime friend of Joe Bruno, and I’ve been a political ally of Joe Bruno, for many, many, many, many years,” Mondello told me. “I’m going to miss him dearly.”

When I asked how Mondello heard the news, he said, “Well, it’s interesting that you ask that question. Joe Bruno and I have been longtime friends, as I pointed out to you, and we have been political allies and we have kept no secrets from each other throughout the years.  read more »

Rudy Giuliani and his top aide, Anthony Carbonetti met with the New York State Republican Chairman Joe Mondello last week for a little chat about state politics. The meeting took place at the office of Giuliani Partners, at the invitation of Giuliani, according to Carbonetti.

I asked him if the subject of Giuliani for governor came up, since it's been the subject of some recent speculation.  

"Of course it did," Carbonetti confirmed during a telephone interview yesterday. "But Rudy was like, 'Lets worry about getting through this cycle.'"

Mr. Carbonetti continued: "Joe said, 'I'm with you if you want to run.' You know, the usual stuff.  read more »

Dick Cheney and Rudy Giuliani are among the special guests headlining the New York State Republican Committee annual dinner, which is taking place at 6 p.m. next Thursday at the Sheraton in Midtown.

In a public statement announcing the event, State Chairman Joe Mondello said:  read more »

That's John Catsimatidis, Hillary Clinton fund-raiser and possible Republican mayoral candidate, getting chummy with Queens County Republican chairman Phil Ragusa and state GOP chair Joe Mondello.

Catsimatidis, a registered Democrat, was there to receive the Abraham Lincoln Award, while Mondello received the Teddy Roosevelt Award.

During his acceptance speech, Catsimatidis said that he had spoke with local Republican leaders and "told them I will help them do whatever is possible to help build the party."

-- Azi Paybarah

At a Queens County Republican dinner in Flushing last night, state GOP Chairman Joe Mondello made the following prediction: Eliot Spitzer will self-destruct.

-- Azi Paybarah

Before Serph Maltese debunked the rumor that he would switch parties or step down from his seat, the conventional wisdom was that another Republican might step in to help. Enter Dennis Gallagher.

As a Republican City Council member, he's in the super minority there. But, as the only other publicly elected Republican in Maltese's district, Gallagher has some wag-the-dog cache.

Gallagher just told me he's not interested in challenging Maltese, but said if Maltese wasn't on the ballot, "I'd have to look at it."

When asked about the GOP chairman Joe Mondello, Gallagher said, "I reached out to the chairman. I guess he hasn't had time to call me back." He went on to say, "The Republican Party must go back to its grass roots."

-- Azi Paybarah

I caught up with Republican state Senator Frank Padavan on his way into session in the capitol just a moment ago and asked him about what the Senate Republicans will do now after losing the seat in Nassau.

"We continue to do what we think is right for the electorate," he said.

When I asked him his thoughts about state GOP chair Joe Mondello, who just lost the state senate seat in his own backyards, Padavan said he wasn't involved with the race enough to comment. Then, Padavan, never one for small talk, rushed into session, which ended a few moments later.

Focus right now is on another Republican senator from Queens, Serph Maltese, who narrowly won re-election and had problems mayor Bloomberg's re-election. I called his office to ask if he would switch parties or leave the Senate before his re-election in 2008.

His spokeswoman said he'd call me back.

-- Azi Paybarah

Now that the new state GOP leadership is in place, the head of the city's largest Republican County organization in the city, Serph Maltese of Queens is hoping for a period of healing.

"I'm hoping those who have differences with me or the new leadership will join in because we need all the help we can get," Maltese told me.

He was refering to the selection of Allison Coccia as the party's executive director over [] Haggerty, the former political director of the Pennsylvania Republican Party, new state chairman Joe Mondello can take "advantage of the experience she has running an urban state." Also, the new person won't have ties to any of the local political fights.

"There's the Pataki wing of the party, a Minarik wing of the party, a Bruno wing of the party, a D'Amato wing," Maltese said.

"There's prior tension in the party. Joe was elected unanimously. That's a good sign that people want us to go ahead. There was criticism by [John] Faso and [John] Spencer that the party was not doing enough. I think there was recognition by everyone that the party did not do enough."

"We need the help. It's very obvious. We were unable to take advantage of the comptroller race. Faso and Spencer did not get the statewide assistance they should have gotten."

-- Azi Paybarah

There is some poetic justice in the ascension of Joseph Mondello, the Nassau County leader to the Republican Party's state chairman.

Like the state party, critics have written off the Nassau County organization, which Mondello has led for more than 20 years.

From the right: Former Long Island congressman and outspoken commentator John LeBoutillier wrote in 2005 that, "Mr. Mondello has presided over a recent series of political defeats that have reduced what was once the nation's most powerful county Republican machine to a pedestrian, run-of-the mill local organization that has trouble even re-electing its own incumbents."

From the left: Nassau Nell, a frequent commentator on this site who I suspect is a Democrat, wrote last week that, "Mondello would be a horrible choice. If he was a Democratic mole, sent 25 years ago to destroy the one powerful Nassau County Republican Committee, he could not have done more damage to the party, its committee people or its electeds. Someone should FOIL the Nassau GOP's books ( both sets) before giving Joe Mondello the State GOP credit card!"

Republican leaders have, needless to say, more kind words for the likely new chairman.  read more »

No matter how you slice it, it is pretty amazing that the county chairman who was there when County Executive Tom Gulotta ran the county into the ground, has held on for so long. I'm sure our more informed readers from Nassau County - its not a borough, is it? - will weigh in once Mondello's position is finalized.

-- Azi Paybarah

Nassau splits its votes evenly between Weld and Faso.

"Our party faces a critically important choice," said Joe Mondello. It is a choice that represents the of the future New York Republican party, he said.

"Regrettably the Republican dream team was not to be," he said and argued that a primary was the proper forum in which to decide on a candidate.

Faso was breathing heavy in the stands before Mondello delivered his county's vote. Afterwards his supporters chanted "coward."

-- Jason Horowitz