Metro

Andrew Giuliani holds slight lead over Lee Zeldin in GOP primary for governor

By
Zach Williams
Published May 26, 2022, 5:52 p.m. ET
A new poll found that Andrew Giuliani has a slight lead over Rep. Lee Zeldin in the Republican gubernatorial primary race.
A new poll found that Andrew Giuliani has a slight lead over Rep. Lee Zeldin in the Republican gubernatorial primary race.

Andrew Giuliani holds a narrow lead over partā™Œy-backed candidate Rep. Lee Zeldin ahead of the June 28 gubernatorial primary, according to a new poll of primary voters. 

Tā™‰he former White House aide had the support of 28.1% of likely Republican voters compared to 22.8% for Zeldin, according to the .

Former Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino cameź¦œ in third with 13.7% and businessman Harry Wilson garnered the support 10.3% of respondents.

ā€œWe’re in a really good position,” Giuliani told The Post Thursday. “More and more people are starting to hear our message and it’s a message of hope.ā€

Giuliani enjoys relatively high name recognition among GOP voters because of his famous father, former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, which he has leveraged in the race. Giuliani has also attacked Zeldin as a purported pawn of ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo based on ź¦šcomments made while the Long IslanšŸ„ƒd Republican was a state senator.

ā€œI don’t believe that this poll is reflective of the current state of the race based on data that I see on a weekly basis,ā€ GOP state Chair Nick Langworthy, who is supporting Zeldin, told The Post.

Giuliani had the support of 28.1% of Republican primary voters surveyed.
Giuliani had the support of 28.1% of Republican primary voters surveyed. AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File
The survey from pollster John Zogby found that Giuliani leads Zeldin by 5.3 points.
The survey from pollster John Zogby found that Giuliani leads Zeldin by 5.3 points. AP Photo/John Minchillo

Gov. Kathy Hochul had included āœ¤in the sušŸørvey while Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-Nassau) respectively got 14% and 10%. 

The survey, which showed a quarter of GOP voters as undecidedšŸ¬, is the latest sign that the Republican race for governor remains up išŸŒ³n the air despite Zeldinā€™s relative success at fundraising and support from party leaders.

ā€œThis is a fake, wildly inaccurate poll ā€¦ every other recent poll has shown Congressman Zeldin as the clear frontrunner,ā€ Zeldin spokeswoman Katie Vincentz said išŸ’Žn a text. 

Former Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino came in third with 13.7% in the poll.
Former Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino came in third with 13.7% in the poll. J.C.Rice
Businessman Harry Wilson trailed the other candidates with only 10.3% of participants supporting him.
Businessman Harry Wilson trailed the other candidates with only 10.3% of participants supporting him. Harry WIlson for Governor

A May 4 Emerson College poll showed Zeldin with an eight-point lead over Giuliani while an internal poll from the Zeldin camp showed him with a hefty lead over his rivals in April.  

An April 10 Zogby survey over Giuliani weeks before controversial comments about abortion and gun rights by ZeldinšŸ¤Ŗ exposed him to new rounds of political attacks from the political left and right.  

Unite NY, a group supporting Wilson, cšŸˆommissioned the latest Zogby poll showing the Western New York businessman dead last in the race. But his campaign says it sees a silver lining in the results. 

Gov. Kathy Hochul is leading the Democratic primary with 49.4% of participants choosing her over rivals Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and Rep. Tom Suozzi, according to the poll.
Gov. Kathy Hochul is leading the Democratic primary with 49.4% of participants choosing her over rivals Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and Rep. Tom Suozzi, according to the poll. Hans Pennink

ā€œItā€™s no surprise that ZelšŸŒdin is fading bšŸ˜¼ecause the last thing New Yorkers want is to elect another political insider,ā€ a spokeswoman for the Wilson campaign said in a text. 

Astorino likewise expressed optimism that he could surge in the final weeks of the primary campaign at š•“the expense of his rivašŸøls.

ā€œZeldin continues to falter as voters learn more about his time in Albany where he was one of Andrew Cuomoā€™s topź¦‘ allies,ā€ a spokesman said in a text.