Pound Ridge GOP Chair Excited About Candidates

POUND RIDGE, N.Y. – Republicans will go to the polls Tuesday and vote in the primary to choose who they want to face off against President Barack Obama. The presumptive winner is Mitt Romney and Pound Ridge Republican Town Chair Joe Zaino said he’s just fine with that.

“I’m happy about the choice,” he said. “I think he has a good shot. But it’s too early to say because a lot of things can happen between now and November.”

Zaino said he doubts Romney will take New York during the presidential election this fall, but said recent polls indicate he has a good chance to win the White House.

“Will he win New York? Probably not,” he said. “But when you have an incumbent president polling less than 50 percent, it’s not a good sign for him.”

While Tuesday’s GOP primary is solely for the presidential candidates, New York state voters will be asked to go to the polls for primaries two more times before the general elections are held in November. The primary for congressional candidates will be held June 26 and the primary for state senate and assembly seats is slated for Sept. 11.

In those elections, Pound Ridge Republican constituents are the ones who have the incumbent to support. State Assembly member Robert Castelli will seek re-election as the representative of the 93rd Assembly District (formerly the 89th) and Nan Hayworth will run for Congress again to represent the 19th District (formerly the 18th).

Zaino said he and the Pound Ridge GOP committee are very enthusiastic about those candidates.

“Bob Castelli is one of the hardest working guys in Albany,” he said. “He shows up at every event that he’s asked to and he’s a true man of the people. He cares about his constituents.”

Zaino said Castelli is not afraid to be non-partisan on some issues.

“Bob is very pro-environment and tends to split with the normal GOP position,” he said. “But here in northern Westchester, the environment is very near and dear to us. I don’t expect everyone to be right down the line on every position, but we agree on the big items.”

Zaino also had praise for Hayworth, a political neophyte when she won her congressional seat two years ago.

“Nan has done a great job in her first two years,” he said “I would love to see her re-elected to help keep the GOP majority in the House. She’s aligned herself with the right people and has done very well making herself visible on TV and in the newspapers. She’s only been there a short time, but she’s made a name for herself.”

Zaino will attend a GOP fundraiser for Castelli on primary night Tuesday at the Fox and Hound restaurant in South Salem. He’ll be joined by other northern Westchester Republicans who’ll watch the primary results on television.

Click here to follow Daily Voice Pound Ridge and receive free news updates.