ALBANY – Lt. Gov. Mary Donohue is taking herself out of the running to succeed Gov. Pataki, just as three relatively unknown individuals have emerged, The Post has learned.
A source familiar with Donohue’s thinking told The Post yesterday, “There’s no way in the world she’ll be running for governor if Gov. Pataki doesn’t run again.
“There’s no way she’s going to be nominated in 2006 and she knows that,” the source continued.
Donohue, a low-key and rarely noticed former judge and district attorney from upstate Rensselaer County, was first elected as Pataki’s No. 2 in 1998, succeeding the governor’s high-profile, but flaky, first-term lieutenant-governor, Betsy McCaughey Ross.
Donohue’s withdrawal as a potential gubernatorial candidate comes amid widespread speculation that Pataki, who just won a third term, won’t seek re-election again and may even leave office early for a Bush administration or private-sector position.
That belief is so widely accepted that some Pataki aides have begun promoting the prospects of three virtually unknown, but highly ambitious, politicians.
They are:
* Secretary of State Randy Daniels, a Democrat-turned-Republican and the most prominent African-American in the Pataki administration, responsible for many economic and educational initiatives.
* Nassau County Sen. Michael Balboni, nicknamed “Senator Statewide” for his seeming willingness to travel across New York, speaking to GOP gatherings, no matter how small, in hopes of gaining statewide support.
* Erie County Executive Joel Giambra, another Democrat-turned-Republican, who is widely seen as a potent vote-getter in a traditionally Democratic region.
Senior Republican leaders agree that without a big-name candidate – Pataki or former Mayor Rudy Giuliani – Republicans will face enormous difficulties in the battle for governor in 2006 against such potentially powerful Democratic candidates as state Attorney General Eliot Spitzer and Sen. Charles Schumer.
Pataki is not expected to run. And it’s not clear what Giuliani’s plans are.
“To say the least, without the governor or Rudy to run for governor in 2006, there’s no obvious front-runner,” said former state GOP Executive Director Brendan Quinn, a political consultant.
Among other Republicans known to be interested in a gubernatorial run are U.S. Reps. Peter King of Nassau County, John Sweeney of Saratoga County and state Senate Majority leader Joe Bruno of Rensselaer.
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EYE ON GOVERNOR’S HOUSE
RANDY DANIELS
Age: 51
Born: Chicago
Current jobs: New York Secretary of State; Trustee of State University and Deputy Commissioner of the Empire State Development Corp.
Previous political office: Deputy Mayor under David Dinkins
Married; two children
MICHAEL BALBONI
Age: 43
Born: Long Island
Current job: State Senator from Mineola
Previous political office: State Assemblyman from Mineola
Married; 4 children
JOEL GIAMBRA
Age: 46
From: Buffalo
Current job: Erie County Executive
Previous political office: Buffalo City Comptroller
Married; 4 children