New York Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo makes an inviting 2022 target for Republicans due to his scandals and foibles. And Rep. Lee Zeldin has early advantages in securing the GOP nomination.
Zeldin, a congressman representing eastern Long Island since 2015, has overcome procedural hurdles that are part of New York’s infamous ballot access and nomination laws. That includes having racked up more than 50% of announced endorsements from local county officials from the Republican Party. Doing so effectively sets up Zeldin as the nominee in each county, with party members gathering in February 2022 conventions to ratify the choices.
Still, Zeldin faces a pair of Republican challengers, including one with a bold-faced last name.
Andrew Giuliani, 35, son of former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani jumped into the race on Tuesday in the hopes of gaining traction through his family name and the negative reports Cuomo has faced in recent months.
His gubernatorial bid is his first for public office. He was previously a White House aide in the administration of former President Donald Trump. Giuliani believes his campaign can raise enough money to take on not just Zeldin, the favored party candidate during the primary, but eventually Cuomo.
NEW YORK REPUBLICAN OFFICIALS COALESCE AROUND LEE ZELDIN FOR GOVERNOR
When asked about how he plans to overcome the overwhelming support Zeldin has from party leaders around the state, Giuliani replied in a statement to the Washington Examiner, “We will be on the ballot, whether it’s through the county chairs or asking New Yorkers, of whom we’ve seen a massive amount of support in just the first four days, to sign up for change in Albany once and for all! We will win!”
Former Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino has also announced he’s running. Astorino ran against Cuomo in 2014 but lost to the Democratic governor, 54% to 40%.
“The state is hemorrhaging people, jobs, and hope,” Astorino said in a statement. “You don’t just offer a band-aid approach in this scenario. You have to be honest and you have to be bold, and I will be. I’ve done it before.”
Cuomo has not announced his intention to run for a third term in 2022, as he is under investigation by the state attorney general’s office and state Legislature over sexual misconduct claims.
In addition, Cuomo faces investigations over his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, including moving infected patients into nursing homes and using his position as governor to access COVID-19 tests for friends and family early in the crisis.
That’s where the Zeldin campaign’s mastery of nomination details comes in.
According to New York State Republican Party rules, during a county nominating convention, should any candidate garner at least 25% of the vote, he or she can appear on the party’s primary ballot.
If a candidate receives more than 50% of the membership’s vote during any balloting round, that person is deemed the endorsed nominee of the party. Zeldin’s early efforts may help him clear this threshold.
However, if a candidate fails to earn at least 25% in any balloting round of voting during the convention, that person must then petition to get on to the primary ballot when it begins at the end of February.
That candidate will need to collect 15,000 signatures with at least 100 signatures in half the congressional districts.
However, Zeldin, a former state senator who is in the midst of touring all of New York’s 62 counties, has picked up local endorsements and support from former colleagues in Albany and GOP congressional endorsements on Capitol hill.
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This includes New York GOP Reps. Nicole Malliotakis, John Katko, Chris Jacobs, and Andrew Garbarino. His support also extends outside of the state to Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, a Freedom Caucus member.
Working swiftly can pay off in dividends for the Suffolk County Republican, and he already raised $2.5 million for his campaign last month, which has allowed him to hit the campaign trail around the state for a sixth time ahead of his primary opponents and Cuomo himself.
