Former Erie County Executive Joel Giambra says he is dropping out of the Republican race for New York State governor and will run as an independent instead.
Giambra announced his decision on Thursday. He says the two major parties are too interested in preserving the status quo, so he will also seek the Independent and Reform Party nominations for governor.
His departure from the Republican field leaves state Sen. John DeFrancisco of Syracuse as the only prominent GOP contender. Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb of Canandaigua dropped out of the race last month.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo is running for a third term this November. The Democrat is considered an early favorite, with big advantages when it comes to fund raising and name recognition in a heavily Democratic state.
