Perhaps the biggest beneficiary of Carl Paladino’s missteps in the governor’s race will be Warren Redlich, Albany attorney, Guilderland Town Board member and, oh yeah, the Libertarian candidate for governor.
Redlich, 44, said the GOP nominee’s remarks on gays sent a surge of traffic to his website and even brought in some donations — as much as $500 a day. (It might not sound like much, but when your campaign finance disclosure reports show a balance of $1,948, every little bit counts).
“Every time Carl Paladino opens his mouth, my campaign gets stronger,” Redlich said.
With Paladino running on the ballot lines of the other right-of-center minor parties –Conservative and Taxpayer Party — Redlich said he stands as the reasonable alternative for conservatives who don’t want to vote for Paladino and wouldn’t vote for Democrat Andrew Cuomo.
“I’m only one to the right of Cuomo who’s not crazy like Carl,” said Redlich, whose campaign released a mock video Wednesday of him arguing with a fake Fred Dicker over the contents of his intestines.
Redlich has no illusions of winning the election. “Beating Cuomo is a long shot,” he deadpans.
But after Liberterian candidates have garnered less than 15,000 votes in the last two governor elections, Redlich said he senses an opportunity this year for the minor parties. He and four others have a place in the only scheduled debate on Monday at Hofstra University. And they have the major party candidates caught in an ugly campaign he thinks will turn off voters.
“It’s a great year to be the Libertarian candidate,” he said.