GOP Senate candidate Rick Lazio brought his campaign to East Harlem yesterday via the Lexington Avenue No. 6 train, vowing to work overtime for the votes of African-Americans and Hispanics.
“This campaign is going to be about touching every neighborhood, every community,” Lazio said as he strolled along East 116th Street with his wife, Pat, after riding up from Grand Central Terminal.
“It’s about inclusiveness. I’m going to be in African-American neighborhoods [and] I’m going to be in Latino neighborhoods.”
In words that could have been spoken by his Democratic rival, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Lazio added, “We’re all about one strong New York, one diverse New York. Bringing people together, not dividing them.”
Lazio, stumping in the heavily Hispanic enclave and Democratic stronghold, called for closing the Vieques bombing range, backed a Puerto Rican referendum on U.S. statehood and even wore a miniature Puerto Rican flag on his lapel – until an aide snatched it away.
Popping into stores, shaking hands with passers-by, jumping onto the cab of a city sanitation truck, the Long Island Republican – who seems to have a flair for street campaigning – won generally favorable responses, although a few people gave him the thumbs down.
“You started off negative, and we don’t need a negative campaign,” Carl Redding, the owner of Amy Ruth’s restaurant on West 116th Street, told Lazio.
“If you keep it a clean, honest campaign, [blacks and Latinos] will give you a chance … Talk about the issues.”
Lazio told reporters his support for low-income housing, loosening immigration restrictions for skilled workers and improving schools would play well with minorities.
“It won’t be the last time I’m here,” he promised.
Lazio ducked the question of whether – since he is courting the black community – he would seek a meeting with the Rev. Al Sharpton, who has met already with Clinton.
“I’m not going to be worrying too much right now about … talking to leadership people,” Lazio said.
“I don’t want to have to talk through anybody right now. I want to talk directly to the people.”
Earlier, he and his wife, who were accompanied by several plainclothes city cops, greeted morning rush-hour commuters at Grand Central Terminal.
Lazio said he rides the subway occasionally. His grade was mixed on a media pop quiz – he knew the price of a one-way fare ($1.50), but not the cost of a weekly ($17) or monthly ($63) MetroCard.