There is anger among rank-and-file GOP county leaders over the willingness of state Chairman Ed Cox and his hand-picked regional vice chairs to reconsider Democratic Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy as a potential gubernatorial contender.

Putnam County GOP Chairman Anthony G. Scannapieco, Jr., who has endorsed Rick Lazio, sent an email to Cox today – just hours before Levy is scheduled to meet in Albany with the vice chairs – denouncing Levy as a “liberal” and insisting his selection to run on Row B would be an “insult” to Republicans who have “toiled away” on campaigns.

“I have been a Republican my whole adult life,” Scannapieco wrote in the email, which was obtained by the DN and appears in full after the jump.

“I have been a Republican County Chairman for 14 years. I am stunned that you are considering a liberal Democrat like Steve Levy for a spot on our statewide ticket.”

“This is the same Steve Levy that supported Al Gore, John Kerry, Eliot Spitzer and Barack Obama. This is the same Steve Levy who voted to make Shelly Silver the Speaker of the Assembly. This is the same Steve Levy who voted for one fiscally reckless bill after another.”

(Snip).

“There is a wave of change building in this country. A Republican even won in Massachusetts. This is the absolute worst time to be considering a liberal Democrat like Steve Levy for our ticket and we do so at our own peril.”

It’s worth noting that Scannapieco was not a big Cox supporter during the fight for the state GOP chairmanship last summer. In fact, he briefly floated his own name for the post.

Levy really seems to ignite strong emotions on both sides of the aisle. To the Republicans – at least those who share Scannapieco’s views – he’s a liberal. To some fellow Democrats, particularly Latinos, he’s an immigrant-hating arch-conservative.

Here’s Scannapieco’s email in its totality:

“Dear Chairman Cox:

I have been a Republican my whole adult life. I have been a Republican County Chairman for 14 years. I am stunned that you are considering a liberal Democrat like Steve Levy for a spot on our statewide ticket.

This is the same Steve Levy that supported Al Gore, John Kerry, Eliot Spitzer and Barack Obama.

This is the same Steve Levy who voted to make Shelly Silver the Speaker of the Assembly. This is the same Steve Levy who voted for one fiscally reckless bill after another.

Steve Levy voted in favor of a $3.2 billion tax increase – the largest in New York State history. Steve Levy voted in favor of the $1 billion giveaway to the health care union. Time and time again, Steve Levy stood with Shelly Silver and against our commonsense Republican values.

And his support of big government has continued. He recently said that the Obama stimulus package was “manna from heaven” that would “save lives.”

I am truly puzzled that he is being considered by any Republican for a position on our statewide ticket.

This is an insult to all the Republicans who have toiled away – collecting petitions, phone banking, and working their way through the system.

There is a wave of change building in this country. A Republican even won in Massachusetts. This is the absolute worst time to be considering a liberal Democrat like Steve Levy for our ticket and we do so at our own peril.

Sincerely,
Anthony G. Scannapieco, Jr.
Chairman