In an unexpected move at today’s Republican organizational meeting, Kings County Republican Chairman Craig Eaton stepped down and successfully nominated Former Dyker Heights Assemblyman Arnaldo Ferraro, who won an election of the proxy vote 327-46.
“I was completely shocked to be nominated. It came as a complete surprise and I didn’t even know how to react,” said Ferraro, 79, who came to Brooklyn 54 years ago as an Italian immigrant when he was 23.
“Not to beat my own drum, but I’m one of the most qualified people ever to chair the Brooklyn Republican Party for the simple reason I have had a long, long record of political participation, I worked at the Board of Elections in a high-capacity and I belong to many organizations.”
Ferraro’s ascension to the chair came amid heavy drama between arch political enemies Eaton and Bay Ridge State Sen. Marty Golden. Golden had come backing Bay Ridge Attorney Ted Ghorra to become the chair
With respected Republican Gerry O’Brien chairing the meeting, the credential committee, which has final say on all proxy votes of committee members, went over the proxies that Golden, Eaton and 46th Assembly District nominee Lucretia Regina-Potter submitted.
In between, before and after the proxies were sorted out, sources said there was all kinds of screaming, yelling and cussing between the Golden and Eaton factions. When the dust cleared Eaton submitted 201 proxies with 172 accepted and 29 rejected; Regina-Potter submitted 123 proxies with 117 accepted and six thrown out; and Golden came in with 438 proxies, but only 17 were accepted and 421 were tossed out.
After more screaming and yelling, Eaton announced he was stepping down and giving all his proxies to Ferraro, and Regina-Potter followed suit.
When it was all over, it appears that Regina-Potter was the real winner as she comes into the Nov. 3 special election against Democrat Pam Harris in what is expected to be a tight contest. Ferraro is her mentor and the two are members of the Fiorello LaGuardia Republican Organization Club.
And this was backed up by Ferraro when asked about his priorities.
“My first priority is to elect the first Republican Assembly person from Brooklyn in 30 years and the first Republican woman in the assembly from Brooklyn ever,” said Ferraro. “After that, I will dedicate as much time as possible to unify the party. We don’t go anywhere without unity.”
Golden, Eaton and Regina-Potter did not return calls at Post time.
