Rep. Lee Zeldin clinches victory in New York’s Republican governor race

Rep. Lee Zeldin clinched victory in New York’s Republican gubernatorial primary late Tuesday, coming out on top after an acrimonious campaign against a field of challengers that included former Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s son.

Zeldin, a Long Island Republican who was one of former President Donald Trump’s earliest supporters in Congress, was declared the victor by the Associated Press around 10:30 p.m.

He is hoping to become the first GOP governor of the Empire State in over two decades. New York hasn’t elected a Republican governor since George Pataki won reelection in 2002.

It’s a tough road ahead against an incumbent Democrat in a state where registered Dems outnumber Republican voters by more than 2 to 1.

Zeldin was the state GOP’s top pick early on in the race, winning the support of party leaders at a February convention held on Long Island.

His position as front runner became less certain as the race dragged on and Andrew Giuliani gained momentum seemingly on name recognition alone.

Recently polling suggested that the Long Island lawyer and former state senator only led Giuliani by a 7% margin.

An online poll conducted by SurveyUSA in mid-June favored Giuliani even more, showing he trailed Zeldin by just two points.

A former White House staffer in the Trump administration and the son of ex-Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Andrew Giuliani crisscrossed the state campaigning in Republican strongholds alongside his father.

The race played out as the elder Giuliani made his own headlines due to his involvement in former President Donald Trump’s failed attempt to overturn the 2020 election.

Testimony during a hearing for House committee investigating the Capitol insurrection revealed Tuesday that the erstwhile mayor asked Trump for a pardon related to the Jan. 6 attack.

While the younger Giuliani has little actual political experience on his resume, his father repeatedly vouched for him on the campaign trail.

“He’ll do for New York State what I did for New York City, turn it around,” the 78-year-old said during a Facebook video recorded after he claimed he was assaulted by a Staten Island grocery store worker who slapped him on the back over the weekend.

Zeldin, an Army veteran and reservist as well as one of the earliest Trump supporters in Congress, was treated as the party’s presumed nominee early on after picking up support from a clear majority of GOP county leaders shortly after announcing his run.

His lieutenant governor pick, Alison Esposito, a former NYPD deputy inspector, accepted the party’s nomination back in February and did not face any primary challengers.

interactive_content

Businessman Harry Wilson entered the game late, self-funded his campaign and cast himself as an outside spoiler who could bring a hedge fund mentality to Albany. At a pair of recent debates, Zeldin and Giuliani both painted Wilson, who nearly won a 2010 comptroller’s race, as a Democrat in disguise.

“You’re on the wrong debate stage, man,” Zeldin said after dismissing Wilson as a “Never-Trumper” and a Republican-in-name-only.

The bad blood also played out in snarky digital ads as well as the courts after Wilson sued Zeldin over alleged campaign finance violations, arguing that the congressman dipped into funds reserved for post-primary.

Former Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, who lost a general election to disgraced former Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2014 as well as a state Senate race last year, never seemed to gain traction despite his past popularity within the party.

The quartet campaigned on similar platforms, attacking Dems over crime, New York’s cashless bail system and the economy. But in-fighting began early as each of the four attacked one another over support for Trump — or lack thereof.