By Dan Murphy
On October 17, some residents in Bronxville and East Yonkers got a knock on their door asking for their vote. That knock came from two republicans. James Nolan, republican candidate for Westchester County Legislator in the 15th District, who has refused to get vaccinated for COVID, and the republican candidate for Governor, Congressman Lee Zeldin. Zeldin recently announced that he was diagnosed with Leukemia.
Both Zeldin and Nolan aired video of both campaigning together on Facebook. Nolan has touted the fact that his campaign has knocked on 25,000 doors in his race for county legislator against democrat Legislator Ruth Walter. But it is unclear whether those voters Nolan has greeted at their doors realize or understand that he is unvaccinated. 90% of eligible Westchester residents are now COVID vaccinated.
It is also unclear whether Zeldin was aware of, or cared about the fact that Nolan is unvaccinated. During his time in Congress, Zeldin has been called, “an avid Trump backer,” and on January 6, hours after the US Capitol was attacked, Zeldin voted on the House floor NOT to accept the results of the 2020 election.
Zeldin explained his vote to overturn the results of the 2020 Presidential election, stating “many of my constituents were demanding that I voice their objections here today. This debate is necessary because rogue election officials, secretaries of state and courts circumvented state election laws,”
Some residents in the 15th District were wondering what both republicans were thinking while on the COVID campaign trail. Most did not know who Zeldin was, and did not know that Nolan was unvaccinated.
“We don’t need anyone knocking on my door who isn’t vaccinated, or who believes that the election of 2020 was stolen. That’s not what Bronxville and Yonkers need representing them. By campaigning with Zeldin, Mr. Nolan has tied his campaign to the kind of pro-Trump rhetoric that took our country to a divisive and difficult place. We rejected this type of politics in 2017 and in 2020, I guess we have to do it again,” said, Yonkers democrat Carol McKechnie.
Another voter in the 15th commented on Facebook about the Zeldin-Nolan video, “I listened to Mr. Nolan and Ms. Walter during their recent debate. Nolan said that he had COVID and beat COVID. And he said that everyone should get vaccinated who has the approval of their doctor to do so. But he didn’t explain why he wasn’t vaccinated. Has his Doctor told him not to get vaccinated? It has been a few months since he first said this, why won’t he explain why he won’t get vaccinated. Without more detail he appears to be willfully ignorant.”
Nolan was challenged again for his vaccination status and stance at a debate hosted by the Rivertowns LWV. ‘I beat COVID. This issue has now become more political. I am a COVID survivor and this is very serious. Everyone who wants to get vaccinated should do so, if your doctor green lights you to get vaccinated. I get tested and I have the antibodies. It should be optional-I work in the food industry and know how important it is for students in the schools.”
Legislator Ruth Walter said, “We have seen a real embracing of the vaccine here in Westchester County. People are educated and eager to get back to work and feel safe when they go to a restaurant or a concert. What we need is to have collective understanding that community health is the basis for our economy. You can have the freedom to do something, but you should also make sure that your freedom is not infringing on other people’s health and safety. If you are in the public eye then you should be vaccinated.”
Zeldin appears to have wrapped up the republican nomination for Governor more than one year before the 2022 election. Zeldin, 41, has stated that his Leukemia is in remission and that it will not affect his campaign for Governor. But voters in the 15th district were greeted by two men, one not vaccinated and the other immune compromised with Leukemia.
