New York's Republican gubernatorial primary is heating up, with Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) taking a commanding lead over her potential rival, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman.
Stefanik has swiftly consolidated support and garnered endorsements, outpacing the Nassau County official.
As reported by Fox News, Stefanik's backing within the New York Republican Party, ahead of the Republican convention, equates to a weighted vote of approximately 75 percent. This weighted vote is a reflection of the endorsements she has received from county GOP chairs.
Stefanik, a staunch ally of President Donald Trump, is now the presumptive nominee for the general election, where she is expected to challenge incumbent Democrat Governor Kathy Hochul. Blakeman, on the other hand, initiated his potential primary campaign earlier in November with a tour of upstate New York.
However, the sparse attendance at some of Blakeman's events suggests he has a significant uphill battle to match Stefanik's momentum. According to Politico, Liz Joy, the Schenectady County GOP Chair who attended one of Blakeman's Albany events, stated, "Elise has it pretty locked up in upstate New York." Another attendee at the Albany event noted that it was "lightly attended and mostly by Long Island residents."
Stefanik's spokesperson, Bernadette Breslin, commented on the early results, saying, "Elise is honored to have earned endorsements from 58 GOP county party chairs representing over 75% of the New York Republican Party's weighted vote at the convention."
She added, "According to two independent polls, Elise is the strongest candidate against Hochul and has the highest name ID and most favorable polling. Her strong support across the state only continues to grow as she earns more endorsements from prominent GOP leaders, including 40 out of New Yorks 45 Conservative Party organizations. New York Republicans are wholly united behind the common goal of firing Kathy Hochul to save New York, and they have entrusted their full confidence in Elise to do so."
Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt, 14 state senators, and 10 county executives from across the state have also endorsed Stefanik for governor. According to Fox News, upstate GOP chairs who have met with both Stefanik and Blakeman have expressed that the Long Island official's message has not resonated with the New York GOP. Stefanik has also secured the support of 40 of the Empire State's 45 Conservative Party organizations, which have their own ballot line in the New York elections.
Trish Turner, the chairwoman of the Ontario County GOP, expressed her support for Stefanik, saying, "It was a great honor to host Congresswoman Elise Stefanik in my home for a gathering of county Republican chairs from the Finger Lakes, Western New York, Central New York and the Southern Tier."
She added, "The energy and enthusiasm in the room were inspiring, and it was clear that many leaders from across our regions are excited about her candidacy for NYS governor. Congresswoman Stefaniks vision, leadership, and deep commitment to New Yorkers were evident throughout our conversations. The Upstate Chairs who attended expressed not only strong support, but also genuine enthusiasm to get involved and help drive momentum in the months ahead."
Duchess County GOP Chairman Mike McCormack echoed this sentiment, stating, "Im with Elise, and thats not changing. We need to focus on saving our state, and shes the hope for New York." Despite these indications, Blakeman continues to visit upstate New York counties.
Republican officials in the state have drawn attention to Stefaniks undefeated record in elections, contrasting it with Blakemans electoral history, which includes losses in a statewide comptroller race in 1998, a Nassau County race in 1999, and a 2010 US Senate primary by over 20 points in 2014.
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