Everyone on that list is also a registered Republican, which means they would have an easier time of getting
onto the
ballot than Levy himself, since they won't need Wilson Pakulas.
Cox insisted he hadn't encouraged Mermel to (the theory goes that he's trying to broaden the field in hopes of siphoning off support from Lazio to help Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy, or perhaps make an argument that there are so many candidates
everyone should simply be automatically allowed
onto the
ballot).