Trump Helps Lee Zeldin Raise $1.5M in New Jersey

Trump Helps Lee Zeldin Raise $1.5M in New Jersey: At a fundraiser for the Republican candidate for governor, Rep. Lee Zeldin, who is running against Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul, on November 8, former President Donald Trump handed Zeldin a $1.5 million boost. “You can refer to some of the people you meet in politics as friends. These are the individuals who appear the day after you win.

They claim to have been present at all times. They weren’t, and I’m pretty sure. But then they’re our buddies,” Zeldin said at the occasion, according to a recording The Post was able to get. He continued, “Fans and strong supporters surround him — people who believe in him, believe that his policies are good for America and that his policies are still suitable for America today.

According to audio acquired by The Post, Trump praised Zeldin as someone who had relied on his assistance starting with his maiden congressional bid in 2014 while hailing his administration’s accomplishments on initiatives, including moving the US Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. You’re well-liked in New York, he said. I liked him, and you’re famous in my district,” Trump recalled thinking.

Regarding his unsuccessful attempts to alter the 2020 election results that Zeldin supported, Trump claimed that Zeldin helped him escape “impeachment hoax number one and impeachment hoax number two and a lot of other frauds.” “I faced off against these lunatics. He was a superb voice,” Trump said on Sunday. He added, “Go help Lee Zeldin.

Despite his continued unpopularity, the real estate mogul is still crucial to New York Republicans, as seen by his attendance at the Chera family’s Long Branch, New Jersey residence connected to the St. Regis New York Hotel. Hochul, who has claimed to voters that Zeldin’s backing for Trump makes him too extremist to lead the Empire State, has a significant funding advantage over Zeldin.

In a recent press release highlighting information about Zeldin’s fundraising challenges in comparison to the incumbent Democrat, her campaign said that Zeldin was “desperately hunting for funds and a route ahead by doubling down on his devotion to the far-right MAGA agenda.” Mid-July campaign reports show she had $11.7 million on hand compared to Zeldin’s $1.6 million.

Trump did not support Zeldin before he won a competitive GOP primary in June. While seeking support from disgruntled conservative Democrats like former City Councilman Ruben Diaz Sr., who Zeldin worked with while serving as a state senator, Zeldin has focused most of his campaigning on concerns like the rise in crime.

Zeldin stated on Sunday, “I could be a Republican, and Eric Adams might be a Democrat, but this isn’t about politics,” about joint efforts with the Democratic mayor of New York City, who has endorsed Hochul, to amend bail reform in opposition to Albany Democrats like Hochul. The Long Island representative believes he can overcome the obstacles in his way and win enough votes to become the first Republican elected to statewide office since former GOP Gov. George Pataki in 2002. “It was expected that George Pataki would lose by 11.5 points. It was the week before the election, not the Labor Day weekend. Just a few days later, George Pataki made history.

Trump helps Lee Zeldin raise $1.5M in NJ while basking in love from New York GOP https://t.co/5TIuzDGN0X pic.twitter.com/QHl96wHf2K

— New York Post (@nypost) September 5, 2022

The governor we chose is a Republican, Zeldin remarked on Sunday. But in a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans by about a two-to-one margin in the registered voter population, polling and financing indicate Hochul has a clear advantage. Zeldin, who the Siena Poll told was still unknown to 41% of likely voters compared to 13% for Hochul, who took office as governor last August after disgraced ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo resigned amid several scandals and could benefit from more advertising funding and other campaign outreach.