Reilich not interested in state GOP job
Monroe County GOP Chairman Bill Reilich, fresh off wins for state Senate and the Assembly, including the surprise ouster of longtime incumbent David Koon, said he is not interested in becoming chairman of the state party.
"My focus is on Monroe County in terms of the chairman's perspective," Reilich said. "That's where I'm going to stay put."
In Monroe County next year, County Executive Maggie Brooks is up for re-election, a race for district attorney is scheduled and all 29 legislature seats are up for grabs. Reilich would like to expand his 16-13 majority in the legislature.
Reilich isn't planning to support a change in leadership away from the current chairman, Ed Cox, but said if someone who is interested in the job approached him, he would be open to discussing it.
The future of the party, given its failure in all statewide races and the emergence of the Tea Party, is something county chairman around the state will need to decide.
"I think there's going to be a wholesale review by the Republican Party and the Conservative Party rank and file of what their parties stand for and where they went wrong," said Bill Nojay, an adviser to Cox.