New York State Republican Party Chairman Nick Langworthy announced through an email invitation to NYGOP leaders and contributors that former President Donald Trump will headline a fundraiser on August 5 in Westchester County. The exact location of the event has not been revealed, but it is widely believed that it will be held at the Trump National Golf Club, in the village.
Tickets start at $1,000 per person, and $5,000 per couple, which includes a photo with Trump. A separate reception and roundtable costs $25,000 per couple. All money raised will go to the NYGOP and not to any Trump political campaign account or PAC. The former President is said to be considering another run for President in 2024.
“No matter where his official residence is, he’ll always be a New Yorker,” said GOP Chairman Langworthy, who recently met with Trump at Trump Tower. “As the Republican Party of New York, we are committed to providing the ideas and leadership necessary to ensure that government works for the people. Our heritage is rooted in the philosophy that all people are created equal with the inalienable rights to life, freedom, and the pursuit of happiness. We believe it is the people, not the government who are the best stewards of our exceptional nation and state, The NYGOP’s mission is to fight for the policies, candidates, and elected leaders who are committed to these values and creating a strong and bright future for the Empire State.”
The August 5 event will feature an interesting dynamic for Republicans in Westchester and in New York State. In the past, democrats have used pictures with several republican candidates for office with Trump as negative mailing pieces to both divide support between supporters of Trump and ‘never Trump’ republicans. State Senator Peter Harckham used a photo of former State Senator Terrence Murphy with Trump, as did County Executive George Latimer against former County Executive Rob Astorino.
The three prominent republican candidates for Governor in 2022, Astorino, Congressman Lee Zeldin and Andrew Guiliani, are all expected to attend this event. Zeldin, who won a recent NY GOP straw poll, becoming the party’s preferred candidate to challenge Governor Andrew Cuomo or another democratic nomineee, has attempted to distance himself from Trump recently.
In 2020, Zeldin was a vocal supporter of Trump during his impeachment trial and also voted against certifying the presidential election. But Zeldin and his campaign team realize that Trump is one of the more toxic republican names in New York State, turning democrats out to vote against him and fellow republicans, and pushing independents and moderate republicans away from the state gop.
Astorino also realizes the Trump effect in New York; it cost him many votes in his loss for County Executive in 2017 against Latimer, and in his recent narrow loss for State Senate against Harckham.
Andrew Guiliani, son of former NYC Mayor Rudy Guiliani, has embraced the former President and would love his endorsement for Governor, if it ever came. Andrew Guiliani was recently seen playing golf with Trump at his Bedminster, NJ course.
I“I love President Trump. He is a good friend of mine, and I will never run away from that. One thing that New Yorkers will learn about me is I’m genuine and I’m not going to say something just to get elected, or just to get votes. I want to help New York and that’s the reason why I’m doing this. I will continue to seek President Trump’s counsel, both personally and professionally. I always consider him to be like an uncle to me,” Guiliani told Spectrum News.
Two other republican long shots for Governor, Lewis County Sheriff Michael Carpinelli; and Derrick Gibson, are also expected to attend.
Many democrats are welcoming Trump back to Westchester, because politically he hurts republcian candidates as much as he helps others.
“New Yorkers are far too smart to be impressed by the NY GOP’s pandering of a failed president who will go down in history as among the nation’s worst,” said NY Democratic Chairman Jay Jacobs, adding that embracing Trump “defies all decency.”
The former President’s social media manager in The White House and currently is Dan Scavino who worked at Trump National and met the President on the golf course.
In addition to Trump National, the former President also owns Seven Springs, a massive, 230-acre estate that spans across the Towns of Bedford, New Castle and North Castle. Trump has owned the property for almost 20 years, and his attempts to turn it into a country club have failed.
Eric Trump has lived in Seven Springs and has called the property the Trump family compound.
