Guy Molinari endorses Conservative Party candidate

Not Bob Straniere, the Republican who is running for the seat Guy Molinari once held. via City Room ;

"It's sad that I have to leave my party on a campaign like this," Mr. Molinari said in an interview this morning. He then criticized the party's chairman on Staten Island, John S. Friscia, for supporting Mr. Straniere's candidacy. "The leadership in the Republican Party has put forth a deeply flawed candidate, one that an awful lot of Republicans cannot support."

Tom Cochrane is the Conservative Party candidate, a Brooklyn resident, but this is all about hating Straniere and little to do with Cochrane.  via the Advance ;

Former Staten Island Borough President Guy Molinari endorsed Conservative candidate Tim Cochrane for Congress today, saying that he found it "sickening" that Staten Island Republicans have nominated former Assemblyman Robert Straniere for the House seat that Molinari once held.

"How in good conscience anybody that has any moral background whatsoever would support somebody like that to go to Congress is inconceivable," Molinari said at his West Brighton lobbying firm, where he was joined by Cochrane and Conservative leaders, including state chairman Michael Long.

Straniere is responding by saying the party will lose this seat with actions like this and rightfully so.  Molinari already claimed they would lose ;

Molinari said that the Democrats have quickly rallied around Michael McMahon, a New York City Councilor, and conceded that McMahon is in a strong position to win. "I wouldn't jump to that conclusion yet, but I would say this," Molinari said. "Based on the candidates that have surfaced so far, yes, we're going to lose the seat."