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Assemblyman Brian Kolb considering a run for governor

Assemblyman Brian Kolb
Assemblyman Brian Kolb

Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb says he’s considering running for governor.

The Canandaigua Republican has been in the Assembly since 2000, and he’s been minority leader since 2009.  He says some people in political circles have urged him to run next year, when Democratic Incumbent Andrew Cuomo is expected to seek a third term.

“Now I’m taking a serious look at it, and seeing if there’s sufficient support both from the committee people and also in terms of raising money because you have to be able to raise money to be a credible candidate.”

Kolb, a former businessman,  says he also feels he’s better qualified that other Republican politicians that may be interested in running for the nomination.  Kolb says he has differed with the Cuomo administration on a number of issues including distribution of state aid and the state’s tax structure.

Other Republicans have been mentioned as possible gubernatorial candidates, including State Senate Deputy Majority Leader John DeFrancisco, Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro, 2010 comptroller candidate Harry Wilson and Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, who went up against Cuomo in 2014.

“I know all of the other Republican candidates’ names that have been mentioned, I know them all, they’re all good people, but honestly, I believe I have the best resume, the broadest experience from not just the public sector but also private sector as well,” Kolb told WXXI News.

Kolb realizes New York has many more registered Democrats than Republicans, but he believes pocketbook issues could still be something he could run on effectively.

“Whether you’re a Democrat or a Republican, you really care about what it costs to put food on your table, what it costs to send your kids to college, what it costs to pay the taxes on your home, that transcends partisan, party lines.”

Randy Gorbman is WXXI's director of news and public affairs. Randy manages the day-to-day operations of WXXI News on radio, television, and online.