ALBANY—Some members of the Assembly Republican conference are quietly making the rounds to express interest in succeeding Jim Tedisco as minority leader if he wins a seat in the House of Representatives, according to members of the conference and other sources familiar with the matter.
The favorite so far is Assemblyman Brian Kolb, the Finger Lakes representative who now serves as minority leader pro tempore. One person close to Kolb said he had the votes already lined up. (Of course, as the recent jockeying in the State Senate is a reminder, commitments are one thing, and actual votes are another.)
In addition to Kolb, Assemblyman Mike Fitzpatrick of Long Island has been quietly floating his name to colleagues. He is set to be feted this Monday at the annual conference of the state Conservative Party for having the most conservative record in the state, Party Chairman Mike Long said.
Also in the mix is Assemblyman Bob Oaks, currently the deputy minority leader.
