Long Island GOP Backs Zeldin for governor

After receiving endorsements from County Executive Bruce Blakeman and other officials for the gubernatorial race on Feb. 10 at Nassau County GOP headquarters in Westbury, U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin visited Kasey’s Kitchen & Cocktails in Rockville Centre to field questions from local residents.

Zeldin, 42, a Republican from Shirley, is a four-term congressman representing New York’s 1st district. He announced that he was running for governor last April.

During his visit to Kasey’s, Zeldin spoke to parents who said they were concerned with the direction of the state in education and masks in schools. In the town hall-style meeting, Zeldin answered questions, and reiterated his intention to end all mask restrictions on his first day in office by executive order, should they still exist by then.

Mike Lucchesi, a Rockville Centre resident and parent, said he was excited by Zeldin’s pitch to him and a couple of dozen other voters. “I wanted to hear his point of view on Covid-related mandates, on children, as well as curriculum,” Lucchesi said. “I was happy to see people come out from our village that are invested in our kids, asking questions and learning from Mr. Zeldin’s knowledge and experience.”

Lucchesi said he was disappointed that more local elected officials didn’t attend, though Zeldin said he had met with Police Commissioner James Vafeades and a village trustee during the day, and had also been scheduled to meet with Mayor Francis Murray, who had to cancel because he was sick.

Members of the organization RVC Advocates for Children and Teens were seated in the front row at Kasey’s. The group describes itself as apolitical, with the goal of keeping parents informed and advocating for their children and teens. ACTS has had similar meetings with local Democrats, including State Sen. Todd Kaminsky, over the past few years. The group supports making masks optional for staff and students in schools.

Zeldin is up against Democrats Gov. Kathy Hochul, U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi and Jumaane Williams, a New York City public advocate. Other Republicans who are running for governor include Rob Astorino, the Westchester County Executive; Mike Carpinelli, the sheriff of Lewis County; Derrick Gibson, a former construction and automotive business owner from Forest Hills, Queens, and Andrew Giuliani, the son of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

“We had to nominate somebody that could win,” Blakeman said, adding that Zeldin has the principles, values, experience, energy and passion to be a great governor. “[He] appeals to a wide range of residents in New York State. … Across the board, he is somebody who will represent all of the people of the state of New York, and not just special interests.”

The current state bail reform laws, calls to defund the police, Covid-19 restrictions, Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul’s single-family zoning proposal and congestion pricing were the top reasons for backing Zeldin, the officials said. “One of the most important functions of government is to protect our citizens,” Rich Nicollelo, the presiding officer of the Nassau County Legislature, said. “New York needs a governor that understands that.”

If elected, Zeldin would be the first Republican governor since George Pataki who served from 1995 to 2007. Zeldin had a law practice in Smithtown, which he opened in 2008, until he was elected to the State Senate in 2010, representing New York’s 3rd Senate District.

Zeldin said that it would be important to have “more local control and less Hochul control,” and added that if he were elected, “We are not going to waste any time. All Covid mandates end on day one.”

He was born in East Meadow, at Nassau University Medical Center, and said that “there has never been a governor in the state of New York with as many Nassau connections” as he has.

Repealing cashless bail, fully funding the police and the possibility of removing Alvin Bragg from his job as Manhattan District Attorney are on Zeldin’s agenda, he said. He also wanted to let parents know that they “do not relinquish their right to be in charge of their child’s upbringing,” and to make sure all children, regardless of race, ethnicity or wealth, have access to a quality education. He specifically mentioned not “advancing divisive curriculums in schools,” such as critical race theory.

“We should be teaching kids more civics, where they are learning about everything that is great about America,” Zeldin said, “rather than trying to pit them against each other.”