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If the governor's race pitted these two candidates against each other, who would you support?
- Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo
- Republican Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro
Westchester Republican Chairman Doug Colety said his committee will endorse Molinaro's race to unseat Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New Castle in November.
Colety's endorsement pushed Molinaro over the 75 percent threshold of the weighted nominating vote, assuming Republican committee members vote with their county leaders at the party's convention in May.
Senate Deputy Majority Leader John DeFrancisco, a Syracuse Republican, and Joe Holland, a Cornel football and track star and former housing official also sought the Republican endorsement.
DeFrancisco said he would stop actively campaigning for the nomination, according to this news report.
DeFrancisco was supported by county GOP chairs representing about 11 percent of the weighted vote, while Holland had none.
"There's really very little likelihood that there's a window of opportunity for me anymore," DeFrancisco told reporters in the Capitol.
In a statement, Molinaro said he was "incredibly humbled" by the support of Colety and other county leaders.
"But this is just the beginning, as we launch our campaign to restore affordability, accessibility and accountability for all New Yorkers," said Molinaro, a former mayor and state assemblyman from the town of Tivoli.
Cuomo is facing a Democratic challenge from Cynthia Nixon, the Sex and the City television star challenging the governor in a primary election on Sept. 13.
Democrats will hold their nominating convention on Long Island on May 24, while Republicans will hold theirs in Manhattan.
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