DNC Treasurer Hopes ‘Terrific’ Harold Ford Won’t Run

As some of New York’s biggest bundlers buck Washington to back potential primary challenger Harold Ford, Jr., the top party

As some of New York’s biggest bundlers buck Washington to back potential primary challenger Harold Ford, Jr., the top party brass is doing their best to encourage unity.

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“Harold is terrific. I have invested five figures in his races,” said Democratic National Committee Treasurer Andrew Tobias in an e-mail to The Observer. “But I sure hope he decides not to make this one, because Senator Gillibrand is also terrific, and times are too tough to invest 20 million progressive dollars in a primary fight to replace one terrific Senator with another terrific Senator who holds the same views on almost everything – even LGBT equality, now that Harold has come our way.”

That’s a not-so-veiled reference to Mr. Ford’s much-discussed evolution on the issue. He’s gone from opposing gay marriage in 2006, to a more New York-friendly position that the federal Defense of Marriage Act should be overturned and the military’s “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy should be revisited.

Mr. Tobias continued: “This is particularly true because NY has such a late primary. We run the risk of emerging September 6 with a bruised candidate and depleted coffers. It’s Republicans we should be raising money to fight, not our own sitting Senators.”

DNC Treasurer Hopes ‘Terrific’ Harold Ford Won’t Run