New York Republican Rep. Lee Zeldin is getting major insider support in his bid to be the 2022 GOP nominee against Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
Zeldin, a vocal supporter of former President Donald Trump, this week racked up a slew of county GOP endorsements. That’s not the same as winning the actual 2022 Republican primary, but it provides the congressman from Long Island a big boost.
A New York Republican Party insider told the Washington Examiner that “the state party is trying to rally support behind Lee, which makes perfect sense because they need someone that’s going to help them fundraise and that’s going to be Lee.”
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Since Tuesday morning, Zeldin earned the endorsements of 32% of the New York State GOP’s state committee vote. Zeldin needs to surpass 50% support from all 456 committee members from the 62 New York GOP county committees to become the endorsed Republican Party candidate for governor.
Zeldin, first elected to the House in 2014, picked up support from the GOP leaders in Broome, Madison, Monroe, Nassau, Oneida, Ontario, Suffolk, and Tioga counties. A nominating convention for the state party is expected to take place in February 2022.
“As I’ve traveled across the state, from Western New York to the Capital Region to Long Island, New Yorkers are fired up and passionately all in to save our state, and they’re taking action. They know Cuomo’s Gotta Go, and it’s going to take a new generation of leadership to get the job done,” Zeldin said in a statement. “The support coming from every corner of New York has been inspiring. Together, we will return New York to glory.”
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The congressman is also building his campaign war chest. Since launching his campaign for governor 10 days ago, he has raised over $2.5 million. Other potential Republican candidates who are looking at the New York governor’s race are Rep. Elise Stefanik, billionaire businessman John Catsamatidis, Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro, and former Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino.
