Republican View: Lee Zeldin to challenge Cuomo in 2022

Elections are coming up in November. While governor won’t be on the ballot in 2021, there are already two candidates looking for your vote in 2022. Gov. Andrew Cuomo says he’s running again, this time for a fourth term.

He’s going to attempt the feat his father couldn’t pull off, and Mario Cuomo didn’t have multiple women accusing him of harassment and charges of a cover-up of decisions that lead to thousands of deaths.

Fortunately, the state will have a choice in November of 2022. Why so early, before we are even out of our local races of 2021? Because it will take that much time for voters to learn the name Lee Zeldin, the presumptive Republican nominee for governor.

I was proud of our last candidate, Marc Molinaro. He’s a solid elected official and continues to lead Suffolk County. But in statewide politics, a Republican candidate has to put together thousands of moving parts, raising millions of dollars, all to just get their name out, to get voters to remember their name even before they can get to policy and where they want to take the state.

Lee Zeldin is a New Yorker. He was born here, graduated from high school on Long Island, from the State University of New York and from Albany Law. It seems like the only time Zeldin’s been out of New York is to fight for his country in Iraq and to fight for his constituents in Washington.

Zeldin represents most of Suffolk County, New York, in Congress. He has deep roots on Long Island but is already making numerous tours of upstate New York. The state needs someone who can bridge the upstate/downstate divide and represent all New Yorkers. Zeldin is that candidate.

Zeldin is a lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserves after having been on active duty serving as a prosecutor, magistrate and intelligence officer, and in Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In 2010, Zeldin ran for New York State Senate and won against a well-known Democrat. He continued to win and served in the Senate until his successful run for Congress. He’s raising his family on Long Island. Zeldin’s life is a testament to his commitment to the Empire State.

Some would argue it’s impossible to beat Andrew Cuomo. They said that about his father too until George Pataki, through sheer hard work, was able to beat the three-term Governor Mario Cuomo.

Zeldin has brought billions to his district from Washington, protected veterans and first responders and resolved more than 15,000 cases brought forward by his constituents. He’s a tireless worker. He’s now been to all 64 counties, many more than once.

Just this month, Zeldin reported raising more than $4 million, 94% of that from donors who gave less than $250, and the donors came from every county in the state. Andrew raised $2.5 million. Andrew still has a cash advantage, but he’s struggling to build on that lead, in large part because of the clouds hanging over him.

Earlier this year, more than 135 state lawmakers and almost the entire New York congressional delegation, including senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, called for Andrew to resign amid multiple scandals.

Families are still reeling from the fateful decision by Andrew to send COVID-19 infected seniors to nursing homes where they infected others. That decision led to the deaths of thousands. Rather than admit to the mistake, Andrew decided to cover it up.

Zeldin will fight for those families. Commenting on last week’s Department of Justice decision to end its investigation of the decision and following cover-up, Zeldin said, “The families and loved ones of the victims of Gov. Cuomo’s failed leadership deserve transparency, accountability and the truth about the lengths of the Cuomo administration’s cover-up and accountability. The Department of Justice has now chosen to willfully participate in the effort to deny the public answers and accountability. Adding this to the book deal and Emmy Award, the DOJ’s decision is yet another gift to a corrupt governor, turning a blind eye to the facts, the victims and the public interest.”

This race will be a long one. When asked recently why he’s running, Zeldin said it’s because he believes New York is at a tipping point, a point where if the policies of Andrew continue, New York will not be able to be saved.

New York continues to lose residents, taxes continue to mount, and for all those taxes, where does the money go? Is the quality of life improving in upstate or in New York City? New York City students continue to struggle with failing schools, mass transit is falling apart and broken, and upstate New York roads are a slalom course of potholes.

These are basic bread-and-butter issues, not cultural, which, for Gov. Cuomo, may be worse. After three terms, it’s time for a change, and that change could be Lee Zeldin.