Councilman Eric Ulrich is the only Republican elected into public office in Queens, and Republicans say they are trying to mend tension within the party in order to change that.
Photo by William Alatriste/NYC Council
The Queens Republican Party is taking a hard look in the mirror.
Members of the party’s various clubs throughout the borough met in Forest Hills earlier this month to discuss how it could get more candidates elected into public office, because as of now, they only have one – City Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park).
The party has been riddled with infighting and inner-party politics for years, which members have been working to overcome for the betterment of the Republican brand. Robert Hornak of the Queens GOP said the core goal has stayed the same, but can only be achieved if the feuds come to an end.
“I think that the strategy overall has been the same as it has always been. We have to get out there and reach out to new voters and expand our base,” he said. “There are a lot of young immigrants who are coming into this country looking for opportunity. We can appeal to those people.”
In Queens, the number of Republicans making it into elected office dropped from four in 2009 to only one this year. A split within the party has prevented it from major progress, with Ulrich on one side and Queens GOP leader Phil Ragusa on the other.
Ulrich did not respond to a request for comment for this article.
Last year, several Republicans called for Ragusa to resign from his leadership position within the party because of his ties to former City Councilman Dan Halloran and state Sen. Malcolm Smith (D-Hollis), who allegedly tried to bribe GOP officials, including Queens GOP Vice Chairman Vince Tabone and former Bronx Republican Party Chairman Joseph Savino, both of whom resigned after being arrested, to land Smith a spot in the Republican mayoral primary.
When it comes to getting there, Hornak said the party must first put the infighting aside so it could actually accomplish those goals of hitting the pavement and winning over new young voters in a city where Democrats have ruled the land.
Hornak also said it was detrimental to future leaders looking to seek public office on the Republican line if they are doing so in a climate that may include other Republicans trying to challenge them because they come from a different faction of the party.
“As long as we are distracted and mired in this infighting, it makes it very hard to get those things done,” he said.
Kevin Ryan, president of the Northeast Queens Republican Club said there was no time better than the present to throw your hat into party.
“Will we allow a small group of allegedly corrupt individuals to define our party and our neighborhood or will we get involved and fight for something better for our children? It really is in our hands,” Ryan said.
He said the group was at a critical stage of its history in Queens and needed help from its “rank and file” members to help spread the party message with a grassroots approach.
“There is a lack of Republican in Queens willing to do these things at the moment, perhaps understandably,” Ryan said of efforts like raising money, canvassing, volunteering and planting lawn signs. “But that puts power in the hands of rank and file Republicans. We can get involved and choose the leaders we want to support, including new ones. Corruption, cronyism and incompetence do not have to rule the political landscape.”
By Phil Corso
