Fossella losing the Conservatine party ballot line, part II

On July 2 [Fossella losing the Conservative party ballot], I pondered in a piece the potential for Vito Fossella the potential that the Conservative Party may throw their endorsement to someone other than Fossella in 2008 and the ramifications that will have on his candidacy. Essentially the lose of the ballot line for Fossella could tip this seat to the Democratic nominee.

Should this feud go any further we might be watching a rather intriguing split in the Republican party on the island and the potential to withhold the Conservative ballot line from Rep. Fossella who votes a lot more 'Bush Republican' than he does true Conservative, or worse do we see the ballot line thrown to a Democrat in exchange for not forgetting Staten Island for the glitz of DC.

In 2004 Fossella garnered 8,400 votes on the Conservative line, or 1.9% of his total, a task that will most likely be improved upon should he get the nod. I am not going to put any money on a Democrat pulling the Conservative line, but a split ticket with a Conservative going up against Fossella could make things real interesting, all the while giving the Republican candidate for President both ballot lines if desired.

In the recent news roundup was an intriguing bit of information that extrapolated on this notion. Tom Wrobleski not so subtly hints at the same potential outcome that the Conservative Party could really throw a wrench in things or better put force candidates to pay attention to constituen interests;

On Conservate BP Molinaro's presence at a Democratic party event;

"People can read into it whatever they want," Molinaro said. "No one is assured of an endorsement from me. No one. I will do what I feel is in the interest of the Conservative Party." [via Tom Wrobleksi at the SI Advance]

Certainly this may just be a bi-partisan (rare I know) approach to addressing the needs of the borough, but his demeanor and mere suggestion that he is not in Fossella's back pocket have to raise quite a few eyebrows. Clearly Tom is intrigued.