NY GOP gubernatorial primary still a ‘free-for-all’ as voting day nears
With the national political environment favoring Republicans this year, the New York GOP is b﷽ullish about winning their first statewide election in two decades.
Now they just have to decide whether Long Island Rep. Lee Zeldin, former White House aide Andrew Giuliani, former Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino or businessman Harry Wilson should be the party’s pick to, in all likelihood, face Gov. Kathy Hochul in November.
“It’s a tough race to handicap and right now, it looks like a free-for-all – it’s wide open and a lot of positioning in terms of where they’re gonna be,” Lee Miringoff, director of the Marist Poll, told the Post Wednesday. “But Republicans recognize they’re the smaller party in New York and this could be a Republican year nationally. The debate becomes very important for them.”
“I am really optimistic about Republican chances this fall – you look at what happened in San Francisco yesterday where a left wing DA is recalled. The overriding issue is crime. New Yorkers don’t feel safe, and with good reason,” said New York’s former three-term Republican Gov. George Pataki, referring to the successful recall election of left-leaning district attorney Chesa Boudin.
With fewer than three weeks to go before the June 28 primary – early voting begins June 18 – the race is still up in the air, though a Post analysis of fundraising and polling indicates two candidate✃s have separated themselves from the rest.
Zeldin and Giuliani have consistently polled higher than their opponents, with most surveys showing the congressman either with a sizable lead or
“You can’t count out the Giuliani name – because of the name – and the issue is crime. So you have to make this a race between Giuliani and Zeldin,” political consultant Hank Sheinkopf told The Post.
Zeldin has gotten the backing of most GOP officials who have endorsed a candidate in the race, including former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Reps. Andrew Garbarino, Chris 🤪Jacobs, John Katk൲o and Nicole Malliotakis.
“He’s getting attacked by the sitting Democratic governor and his Republican rivals andꦑ that’s a sign of strength,” said pollster John McLaughlin, who is working for Zeldin’s campaign.
“She’s clearly more worried about Lee than she is about [Democratic primary rivals Tom] Suozzi and [Jumaane] Williams. She’s run ads attacking Lee and based on the polling that we’ve released and seen, Lee is the only Republican that can beℱat her in November.”
What Giuliani lacks in endorsements, he makes up for in n𓂃ame re🅠cognition as the son of former Mayor Rudy Giuliani.
However, the most prominent Republican, forme♏r President Donal𓄧d Trump, has despite pushes by each candidate — especially Zeldin and Giuliani, who has been the most outspoken about his support for Trump.
New York Republican Party Chairman Nick Langworthy – who has endorsed Zeldin – told The Post that Trump likely won’t back any of the GOP candidates before the primary.
“As of right now, he’s got a lot of friends in the mix and he’s just watching,” sai💎d the party boss of Trump.
“He very much wants us to be victori꧒ous in November. I think he thinks the world of Lee, but he’s also got a♑ long standing relationship with the Giuliani family.”
“Who votes in primaries?” pollster Steven Greenberg told the Post Wednesday when asked about the effect of Trump’s potential backing. “The party functionaries, the committee people and the people who are the most extreme elements in the party. The average Republican primary voter is far more conservative – or in the modern world, more closely aligned with the former president than are Republicans as a whole.”
What Giuliani lacks in endorsements, he makes up for in name recognition as the son of former May꧑or Rudy Giuliani.
Siena College polls taken in January, March a🌌nd April show that roughly three times more registered voters indicated more familiarity with Giuliani than his rivals. However, Siena also found the junior Giuliani has unfavorable ratings nearly twice that of his rivals.
In the fundraising battle, Zeldin has raised millions more for his campaign coffers than either Giuliani or Astorino. Wilson, meanwhi✅le, has leaned on his personal wealth to fund his own effort.
Campaign finance records🔴 submitted to the state Board of Elections a month ahead of the primary show the self-funding Wilson with the most cash on hand ($4.24 million) followed by Zeldin ($3.11 million), Astorino ($1.1 million) and Giuliani ($312,799).
The in the race whil♚e Astorino has bucked the Republican Party line when 🌊it comes to in the wake of mass shootings in Buffalo and Texas last week.
Wilson and Astorino have argued that they would be more electable than their rivals and have relatively moderate views compared to Zeldin – who has made controversial remarks on abortion and gun rights in recent weeks – and Giuliani, who♍ has made no secret of his support for Trump-style MAGA politics that are anathema to many voters in the Empire State.
Wilson notably came close to beating incumbent state Comptroller Thomas Di♚Napoli in 2010, but has struggled to gain traction in the gubernatorial primary after jumping in much later than the other candidate💝s.
Astorino has a record of winning elections in the all-important New York City suburbs, but he is also running for governor after losing elections for state Senate and gover🎀nor — as well as reelection as Westchester County executive.
With no clear favorite emerging, all eyes are on the first of t꧑wo confirmed debates between the co👍ntenders, which will take place
“I don’t think anyone can say someone is the favorite at this moment,” Miringoff said. “There’s a lot of inside positioning, you have to look at the ad buys and who they’re trying to target. If someone is a recipient of attacks at the debate, it’s probably an indication that someone is taking votes from their candidate in internal polling.”
