Convention confidence: State GOP sees victory ahead

After a two-day affair at the Garden City Hotel, New York state Republicans coalesced around Long Island Congressman Lee Zeldin as their candidate for governor over a few other candidates, including businessman Harry Wilson and Andrew Giuliani, the son of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

Nassau County Republican Committee Chairman, Joseph Cairo said the party aims to target bail reform as part of its platform. “Bail reform is crazy, the nonsense going on there is a key issue,” he said on Tuesday, day two of the convention. “They commit a crime in the afternoon before the police are done finishing the paperwork, they're out free again to commit more crimes.”

Cairo said the party will continue to campaign on the issues that gave them victories in the race for county executive and district attorney. “The funding of the police, the economy, the assessment system here in Nassau County is completely botched up,” he said. “These are the things that brought us victory last year. The price of gas. People see it every day. That’s what’s going to cause people to come out. The average guy wants to come out and express their voice this year and it’s going to be by voting Republican.”

He said Republicans, not only because of the enthusiasm at the convention, but because people are not happy with the state of the country. “We saw it last year in Nassau County,” Cairo said. “People regardless of party affiliation, want change. They want America to be America again. We’re gonna see it this year.”

Former Congressman Peter King, a Seaford resident, echoed Cairo’s sentiments. “The whole issue of inflation and the one-party rule in the state and underlying all of it is a lot of disapproval to Joe Biden, a Democratic state, and the after-effects of Andrew Cuomo and Bill DeBlasio,” he said, explaining why the GOP is confident. “But if there’s one issue, it’s going to be crime and law and order. That’s the dominant issue from talking to people all over the state.”

King sees a Republican revitalization, one that could gain seats in the State Senate, noting that Todd Kaminsky’s seat is open and the GOP could target John Brooks. “I’ve never seen this type of energy and I’ve been in enough political events, I haven't seen it like this, in 50 years at a state level,” King said. “I think having Allison Esposito as a candidate for lieutenant governor sends a signal. She’s a woman and she’s a real tough, longtime cop and that’s a great combination put together.”

County Executive Bruce Blakeman, who was the beneficiary of the Republican resurgence, thinks highly of the party’s gubernatorial choices. “I think Lee Zeldin is the right candidate. I think he made an excellent choice for lieutenant governor with Allison Esposito,” Blakeman said. “And I think he gets it and knows what needs to be done to turn the state around. I think people have confidence in him. My confidence level is very, very high. I think this November, there will be a red tide that will extend from Montauk all the way up to the border.”