New York Republican Congressman, Lee Zeldin, announced he is running for governor with an initial tweet on Thursday, “Cuomo’s gotta go!”
Zeldin continued, “I’ll bring the kind of relentless, fighting spirit towards helping to save our state that Cuomo reserves for multi-million dollar self-congratulatory book deals, cover-ups, abuse & self-dealing.”
In another tweet in his initial thread, he said, “With 1-party Dem rule in NYC & Albany, the light that was a beacon of what America can be has gone dark. The NY once a magnet for the world’s best & brightest is now forcing its own to leave under the weight of crushing taxes, lost jobs, suffocating regulations, & rising crime.”
In his interview with Fox News’ “Fox & Friends,” Zeldin said, “So, after talking to New Yorkers who feel like this is a last stand, a last great opportunity to save New York, and the fact that to save our state, Andrew Cuomo’s got to go — I’m announcing here this morning on your show that I’m running for governor of New York in 2022 and we are going to win this race.”
According to Zeldin, he thought about running for governor after Cuomo’s numerous scandals with the COVID-19 nursing home massacre, sexual assault allegations, and high taxes.
Zeldin might have to fight in the Republican Primary to get on the ballot against Andrew Giuliani, former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s son, who announced his candidacy on Wednesday and is looking for the Republican nomination.
Anonymous sources told the New York Post, New York Republican Party Chairman Nick Langworthy supports Zeldin’s run and he also encouraged him to do so before Zeldin made a decision.
Zeldin is an Iraqi War Veteran and he served actively in the U.S. Army for four years before transferring to the Reserves where he is now a Lieutenant Colonel. Before being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2015, Zeldin served in the New York State Senate from 2011-2014.