Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin is not ruling out a run for governor.
Announcing his reelection campaign for County Executive Thursday, the Republican and former state Assemblyman says he wouldn’t rule out a run for governor next year. McLaughlin claims the state is falling apart at the hands of Democrats.
“Kathy Hochul better pray to God that if she's the candidate, I'm not her opponent, because it will be a whole different state. If I was governor, it would look a lot like Rensselaer County, which is successful and growing, instead of a state that people say they don't say, ‘I love New York.’ The slogan is, ‘I left New York.’”
McLaughlin adds that he would work with federal officials to stop immigration in the state and frack in the Southern Tier, which is banned. Hudson Valley Congressman Mike Lawler is seen as a likely Republican candidate to challenge Hochul when she seeks a second full term.
