New York Republican Chairman Ed Cox sat down with Fred Dicker earlier today for, uh, spirited conversation over the direction of the GOP in this Democratic heavy state.

Cox defended the party, saying they’ve got some rising stars, including GOP Rep. Chris Gibson and Rep.-elect Chris Collins.

“You’ve got Chris Gibson, Chris Collins is back in western New York,” Cox said, noting that Collins faced some trouble after losing his re-election as Erie County executive to Democrat Mark Poloncarz.

Indeed, that loss sat Collins, who was once a possible gubernatorial contender in 2010, hurt his chances. But after narrowly defeating Rep. Kathy Hochul, Republicans have new hopes that he could be a statewide candidate again.  

“Now he’s been elected a congressman in a very tough year when Obama got 63 percent at the top of the ticket,” Cox said of Collins.

On Gibson, Cox praised his service in Iraq and organizational skills as a campaigner.

“I’m telling you some of the stars we have in the Republican Party here,” the chairman said.

And Cox also talked up Republican Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, praising him for striking a budget deal with a (ahem!) coalition of Republicans and Democrats on the Board of Legislators.

Dicker was skeptical.

“He’s too short to be governor, isn’t he?”

 

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