Vincent Balascio
| Vincent Balascio | |||
| Basic facts | |||
| Location: | New York, N.Y. | ||
| Expertise: | Campaign strategy | ||
| Affiliation: | Republican | ||
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Vincent Balascio is a Republican political strategist operating in the state of New York. He was the campaign manager for George Pataki's 2016 presidential campaign.[1] Balascio previously worked for Pataki when he was governor of New York and has also worked on campaigns for David Malpass (R-N.Y.), Rick Lazio (R-N.Y.) and Joe Lhota (R-N.Y.).[2]
Career
Vincent Balascio began working for George Pataki as an aide when Pataki was governor of New York.[2] In 2010, Balascio managed the U.S. Senate primary campaign of David Malpass. Malpass lost the primary election to Joseph Dioguardi.[3] Balascio also managed Joe Lhota's unsuccessful campaign for New York City mayor in 2013.[4] Lhota received 24 percent of the votes and lost the race to Bill de Blasio.[5] The New York Daily News criticized the Lhota campaign as "poorly conceived, managed and executed," noting that some "Republicans believe the problems begin at the top."[6]
In November 2012, the New York Post reported that Balascio was one of the founders of Americans for Real Change, a Super PAC that worked in New York City politics "to force out Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver."[7] However, the State of Politics blog noted:[8]
| “ | Supposedly, the PAC was going to raise and spend as much as $1.5 million and make NYC mayoral candidates 'take a stand' on whether Silver should still be speaker. But it doesn’t appear to have done any spending, and, according to a filing with the FEC, was terminated in 2013.[9] | ” |
For the 2016 election cycle, Pataki utilized a Super PAC by the same name to release videos on fiscal policy in late 2014.[8] According to The Campaign Legal Center:[10]
| “ | Although a Pataki-centric website exists at americansforrealchange.com, the FEC’s database of political committees includes a seemingly different, unrelated super PAC by the name Americans for Real Change that was created in July 2012 and dissolved in July 2013, without ever having raised of spent any funds. Consequently, the legal status of the super PAC reportedly created by Pataki in October 2014 is unclear.[9] | ” |
George Pataki presidential campaign, 2016
On May 28, 2015, George Pataki announced his presidential bid via a video posted on his campaign website, before speaking to a crowd of supporters in New Hampshire.[11][12]
Vincent Balascio promoted Pataki as a strong candidate in New York. In June 2015, Balascio cited polling data with Pataki leading the race in New York to appeal to supporters:[13]
| “ | Only a week after a CNN poll showed Governor George Pataki tied for tenth with 3% of the vote, a Quinnipiac Poll of New York Republicans released today shows Governor Pataki leading among Republican presidential contenders. The state legislature is likely to move New York’s Presidential Primary earlier in the 2016 schedule, making New York more relevant to the nominating process than at any time in recent history.[9] | ” |
Pataki suspended his presidential run on December 29, 2015.[14]
See also
External link
Footnotes
- ↑ P2016, "Pataki for President," accessed June 23, 2015
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Politics on the Hudson, "Malpass hires Pataki, Giuliani veterans for campaign," July 8, 2010
- ↑ New York State Board of Elections, "Statewide Republican US Senator Primary - 2 year - Unexpired Term," accessed June 23, 2015
- ↑ FOX5NY, "Inside Joe Lhota's campaign," October 16, 2013
- ↑ New York Times, "New York City Mayor," accessed June 23, 2015
- ↑ New York Daily News, "GOP doesn't pull punches about Lhota's campaign," October 19, 2013
- ↑ New York Post, "All-out bid to polish off tarnished Silver," November 6, 2012
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 New York State of Politics, "With Eye Toward 2016, Pataki Pitches ‘More Freedom, Less Gov’t’ (Updated)," October 20, 2014
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Campaign Legal Center, "'Testing the Waters' and the Big Lie: How Prospective Presidential Candidates Evade Candidate Contribution Limits While the FEC Looks the Other Way," February 2015
- ↑ NPR, "George Pataki Announces 2016 Presidential Bid," May 28, 2015
- ↑ Pataki for President, "Announcement," accessed May 28, 2015
- ↑ JP Updates, "Pataki Leads GOP Poll in NY Primary," June 8, 2015
- ↑ The Boston Globe, "George Pataki to end presidential campaign," December 29, 2015
