Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb abruptly ended his campaign for governor this afternoon, surprising Republican leaders.
Kolb issued a statement bowing out, though he vowed to continue as the Assembly's Republican leader. Kolb wrote in his statement ""As I left my home before dawn this morning, saying goodbye to my incredible wife, I knew that I'd be spending the next week, the week after, and every week for at least the next nine months on the road, away from my loving family, That moment helped put what is truly important in life back into perspective." State Senator John DeFrancisco and former Erie County Executive Joel Giambra, both Republicans, are challenging Cuomo in the the next election.