Republican Rep. Lee Zeldin took another step Tuesday toward announcing a gubernatorial bid against embattled New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
“With his nursing home cover-up & abuse coming more to light, it’s clear #CuomosGottaGo. As a NYer, I can’t sit back as Cuomo attacks our freedoms, our wallets & our safety. After many msgs of encouragement & discussing w/ my fam, I’m actively exploring a 2022 run for Gov of NY,” Zeldin tweeted.
Zeldin, who represents New York’s 1st Congressional District in eastern Long Island, won his fourth term this election cycle after a drawn-out absentee ballot count. He previously served as a state senator in New York’s Legislature for four years.
Cuomo, seeking a fourth term in office and once thought of as politically unbeatable, is under fire for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in his state, fending off allegations that his administration covered up nursing home deaths.
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Additionally, three women who previously worked in his administration have stepped forward and accused the governor of sexual harassment. Other allegations of intimidation and bullying by Cuomo and his staff have been made by journalists and New York Assemblyman Ron Kim.
More prominent New York Democrats are calling for Cuomo to resign or at least for an investigation of the governor.
Zeldin told the Washington Examiner that people reached out to him to run against Cuomo and told him they were worried about the future of the state.
“People are concerned about higher taxes, higher cost of living, attacks on freedoms, and eroding public safety. People cite cashless bail up in Albany, the ‘defund the police’ movement in New York City,” Zeldin said. “Cuomo’s vindictive bullying, the cover-up of the nursing home scandal. People believe that he’s been in office for three terms and that’s too much, and that he needs to go.”
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Zeldin is not the only Republican congressman eyeing New York’s governor’s mansion. Republican Reps. Tom Reed and Elise Stefanik both expressed interest in running against Cuomo as well.
