Click on the camera icon and "Governor Eliot Spitzer" above to see the interview.Governor Eliot Spitzer predicts mid or late-February for the special Senate election but said he's not taking sides in the race.
Spitzer spoke to
NewsWatch50 via satellite early Wednesday morning.
Asked if he supports fellow Democrat Darrel Aubertine in the race against Republican Will Barclay, Spitzer said:
"Look, Darrel's a great friend. I think Darrel's a spectacular guy. He's genuine. He's a guy who's a real commodity. He's somebody who knows the district who in the Assembly has done a great job. But again, I'm not gonna get involved. This is a Senate race right now that will take its own course. Darrel's a great friend and I wish him well of course. But I'm the Governor of the state and I'm worried today about articulating an economic development strategy for all of the state."Spitzer was scheduled to deliver his first ever State of the Upstate Address at 10 a.m.
Earlier in the
NewsWatch50 interview, Spitzer refused to be drawn into the upstate Republicans vs. downstate Democrats theme that has seemed prevalent in the Barclay campaign to date.
"I'm not going to get involved in the partisan politics. I'll leave that sort of sniping to others. I'm Governor of the entire state..." Spitzer said.
He did note that many downstate Democrats have been more responsive to many of his funding initiatives for the upstate region than their downstate Republican counterparts have.
Asked when he would call the special election, Spitzer predicted mid or late-February. He said the Feb. 5th Presidential primary has to take place first and then the recanvassing of votes.
Spitzer said he is consulting with local boards of elections about the best date for the election.
