Astorino and Wilson Attack Front Runner for Ties to Cuomo; Zeldin Attacks on Wilson and Astorino Don’t Stick
By Dan Murphy
With less than two weeks until the June 28 NY primary, the four republican candidates for Governor faced off in a debate on WCBS-NYTV. Congressman Lee Zeldin, former Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, Businessman Harry Wilson, and Andrew Giuliani took off the gloves and slugged it out, with accusations and allegations made mostly between Congressman Lee Zeldin, former Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino and businessman Harry Wislon.
Zeldin is the endorsed candidate of the NY GOP and is leading in the polls, so it was logical that he was the recipient of the most of the attacks. But most of the pundits were unimpressed with Zeldin’s response to the challenges and his counterpunches.
The primary negative attack against Zeldin, promoted by Wilson in a multi-million dollar ad buy, is that while a member of the State Senate eight year ago, Zeldin supported democratic former Governor Andrew Cuomo.
After two weeks of negative campaign ads tying him to Cuomo, Zeldin should have had a prepared response for the debate. Instead, Zeldin lashed out against Wilson and Astorino with his stale and weak negative attacks, calling Astorino, Rolex Rob, and pointing out that Wilson did not vote for Trump in 2020.
This reporter would argue that very few people outside of Westchester understand the Rolex Rob reference, and that even fewer republican voters know what Zeldin is talking about, nor do they care. Astorino was never charged in the matter and returned the watch by the way, so there is truly nothing there.
Zeldin’s attacks on Wilson, that he didn’t vote Trump in 2020, and that he worked for former President Obama, also didn’t resonate with many. Wilson was able to explain that he voted for former SC Governor Nikki Haley in 2020, and also was able to explain the work he did with Obama to save American jobs after the financial crisis of 2008.
Wilson had a prepared response and looked reasonable; Zeldin did not have a response to the links to Cuomo and looked, “flustered, nervous and uncomfortable,” according to one NY Republican.
Wilson also claimed that “In January of this year, he (Zeldin) asked me to be on his ticket. Now why is he honestly attacking me now? Because his campaign is disintegrating,” said Wilson
“I haven’t asked, and I wouldn’t ask Never Trumper Harry Wilson,” Zeldin said.
“Don’t lie,” said Wilson, who claimed to have notes from the conversation.
Astorino had one of the most re-printed quotes of the debate when, asked about congestion pricing, he said, “This year is going to be the revenge of the normal people and I’ll tell you why: because congestion pricing is another back breaker on the average New Yorker. All this does is it crushes the outer boroughs. It crushes the middle class,”
Another NY Republican tweeted that “Zeldin did not look like a Governor,” at the debate.
For most of the debate, Andrew Guiliani was the outsider, starting with the fact that he had to participate remotely because he was unvaccinated. Guiliani’s debate highlights included vowing to bring back the stop and frisk police policies of his father (Rudy), and promising to rehire NYC employees who were fired because they were unvaccinated.
One Westchester republican we spoke to said he was disappointed in Giuliani’s performance
Wilson also scored points with his response to a question about how gun violence has affected him personally. “On Thursday night, my cousin’s father was murdered in his backyard and it was by a monster who was out on cashless bail upstate, who had committed two assaults in recent weeks,” Wilson said.
On the January 6th attack on the US Capitol, Zeldin said, “President Trump told his supporters to go peacefully and patriotically to the Capitol and if President Trump wants to run, he should run, and I believe he’ll be the Republican nominee and he’ll win.” Trump has yet to endorse any of the four GOP nominees.
An Emerson College poll taken before the debate has Zeldin with 17 point lead over Astorino. But combined with the persistent negative ads tying him to Cuomo, and his poor debate performance, one prominent NY republican said, “Zeldin’s campaign is in free fall. He is looking to make it to primary day with his lead but Astorino and Wilson are gaining ground. It looks like Zeldin knows he’s dropping and will try anything.”
After the debate Wilson claimed vistory and continued to pound away at Zeldin, calling him a “Cuomo Clone.” He also touted his economic plan to cut taxes by 20% and put $4,000 in the pockets of the average NY family.”
“Zeldin was on the ropes through all the debate. He called Wilson a “Never Trumper” too many times,” said a Putnam County republican.
Astorino attempted to walk the fine line on Trump, by calling Jan. 6th “a horrible day in our nation’s history,” and added that Trump bears some responsiblity” for the attacks on law enforcement. But Astorino also said that the Jan. 6th hearings were political theater.
Whoever the republican candiate for NY Governor is, they will need to threat the needle between never Trump New Yorkers and those MAGA NY republicans, if they stand any chance at defeating the democrat, most likely Governor Kathy Hochul in November.
Congressman Zeldin voted against certifying the Presidential election results of 2020. And while 147 House republicans also voted not to certify the election of Joe Biden, “those 147 House republicans are not running for Governor of New York, and for that reason alone, I think Zeldin might not be the answer,” said another Hudson Valley republican.
