As New York City Republicans prepare for the 2013 mayoral race, party leadership may have some trouble recruiting their preferred candidate.
The GOP's five county chairmen said in a release that their first choice was billionaire grocery store executive John Catsimatidis. But Catsimatidis has said he would prefer to support Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, according to a report in the New York Times.
"I've been supporting Ray Kelly. I'm in the bullpen if Ray Kelly doesn't do it," the Times reported Catsimatidis as saying.
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But Kelly has said he does not intend to run and would prefer to throw his support behind Catsimatidis, according to The Huffington Post.
GOP Manhattan chairman Dan Isaacs said they intend to stick to their standard process and won't hold the door open for a last-minute change-of-heart by Kelly, the Times reported.
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If neither Catsimatidis nor Kelly decide to run, party leadership said they would look to newspaper publisher Tom Allon as the next choice.
The following is a list of those who have either expressed interest or been mentioned by GOP leaders as possible choices.
Diana Taylor Former New York State Superintendent of Banks, Mayor Michael Bloomberg's girlfriend
Eva Moskowitz Former City Councilmember, founder of Success Academy Charter Schools
John Catsimatidis Billionaire supermarket owner Ray Kelly Ray Kelly Commissioner of police John Catsimatidis Richard Grasso Former chairman and chief executive of the New York Stock Exchange Ray Kelly State Senator Martin Golden Assistant Senate majority whip
Tom Allon Newspaper publisher
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