Democrats see NY Gov. Kathy Hochul as ‘too extreme,’ backing GOP opponent Lee Zeldin

GOP Rep. Lee Zeldin faces an uphill battle against the entrenched Democrat establishment apparatus to win the New York governorship, but he is reportedly receiving some key endorsements from members of that party.

Out-of-control violent crime, particularly in New York City, which has been made far worse by so-called bail reform implemented by Democrats controlling the Empire State that results in catch and release even for recidivists, is apparently one of the prime motivators for cross-party support.

John Orlando, president of a Brooklyn-based organization called New Era Democrats which even backed Bill de Blasio, the failed progressive Gotham mayor, said: “We have a Democratic machine that has gone far too left – too extreme for even those moderate Democrats,” the New York Post reported on Monday.

Another Democrat, former city councilman Ruben Diaz, Sr., added when Zeldin made an appearance at his Bronx church, “Lee is my candidate. He’s against crime. Hochul’s for crime. She refused to make any major changes to the bail law.”

Zeldin, who has represented a House district on Long Island since 2015 and is campaigning tirelessly all across the state for governor, has made a day-one promise to fire any district attorney, such as Soros-backed, soft-on-crime Manhattan prosecutor Alvin Bragg, who refuses to enforce the law.

He has also vowed to repeal cashless bail to similarly protect public safety and keep thugs behind bars while their cases are pending in the court system.

Previously obscure Kathy Hochul, who loves lockdowns and mandates, is the unelected Democrat governor who took over automatically when Andrew Cuomo stepped down in disgrace.

The “tolerant” former lieutenant governor has come across as just another mediocre, talking-point-spewing, woke liberal who recently demanded that millions of Republicans exit the state.

New York has already lost a significant part of its population because of crime, taxes, and draconian restrictions on freedom and commerce.

Presumably anxious to placate the far left, Hochul has failed to push for revisions to the bail reform law. “Hochul has dodged questions on controversial public safety issues like repealing qualified immunity and changing cash bail laws by arguing that the timing was not good to express an opinion despite harsh criticism from her Republican opponent,” the Post noted.

“Hochul has yet to announce any endorsements from Republicans or conservative groups, however, while the endorsement from New Era Democrats is part of a growing list of Dems who say they feel more at home with Zeldin than the party of Hochul and firebrand socialist Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez,” the news outlet added.

According to a Real Clear Politics aggregate of just three polls, Hochul has a commanding 18-point lead over the challenger in the run-up to the November election.

As alluded to above, it will be a very tall order for the pro-Trump Zeldin, a lawyer and U.S. Army veteran, to overcome Democrat machine politics in NYC and elsewhere in the blue state even with the subpar Hochul leading the ticket.

More from the Post:

Support from conservative Democrats, and moderate voters more generally, could help Zeldin win despite Hochul’s currently big leads with fundraising and polling in a state where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by roughly two-to-one…

A Siena College poll released earlier this month showed Zeldin with a two-point lead among independent voters – 44% to 42% – and three-point leads upstate and in the suburbs despite Hochul’s overall 53% to 39% advantage in the poll of likely voters…Political experts say Zeldin will need more support than that from Democrats and independents to become the first Republican to win statewide in two decades, given efforts by Hochul to cast him as an extremist in line with former President Donald Trump.

 

In a statement, Zeldin, who last month himself was assaulted on the campaign trail by a man who was shortly thereafter released under New York law (although later charged federally), said, “It’s been an honor to earn the support of the New Era Democrats…This isn’t about being Democrat, Republican, or independent. This is about all of us as New Yorkers working together to restore New York to glory. Just as my running mate, Alison Esposito, often says, this isn’t a red wave. This is a common-sense wave.”

Longtime conservative Democrat Dov Hikind, a former member of the state assembly, rhetorically explained that “I’m supporting Lee Zeldin. He’s the only choice with the mess New York is in. Does anyone believe that Hochul will make change and stand up to the radical wing of the Democratic Party?”

Watch Rep. Zeldin’s remarks at the New Era Democrats event shared by Forbes Breaking News:

Get the latest BPR news delivered free to your inbox daily. SIGN UP HERE

DONATE TO BIZPAC REVIEW

Please help us! If you are fed up with letting radical big tech execs, phony fact-checkers, tyrannical liberals and a lying mainstream media have unprecedented power over your news please consider making a donation to BPR to help us fight them. Now is the time. Truth has never been more critical!

Success! Thank you for donating. Please share BPR content to help combat the lies.
Robert Jonathan

Comment

We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.

BPR INSIDER COMMENTS

Scroll down for non-member comments or join our insider conversations by becoming a member. We'd love to have you!

Latest Articles