Rep. Zeldin says he is in remission from chronic myeloid leukemia

Rep. Lee Zeldin, who has represented the 1st Congressional District since 2015 and is running as a Republican for governor of New York State, announced Saturday that he is in remission from a diagnosis of chronic myeloid leukemia.

“Through early detection, last November, I was diagnosed with early stage chronic myeloid leukemia,” he said in a press release. “I then began treatment with an immediately positive response and no side effects.

“Over the last 9 months, I have achieved complete remission, am expected to live a normal life, and my doctor says I currently have no evidence of this disease in my system. My health is phenomenal and I continue to operate at 110%.”

Mr. Zeldin (R-Shirley) was elected to a fourth term last November, handily beating Democrat Nancy Goroff. In April 2021 he surprised many New York State political observers and announced he would make a run for the Republican nomination for governor of the state.

At the time of his announcement, Gov. Andrew Cuomo was in office; he later resigned after a scathing report from New York State Attorney General Letitia James that detailed nearly a dozen cases of sexual harassment involving Cuomo and female staffers.

In his statement Saturday afternoon, Mr. Zeldin said that “I have and will continue to execute all my duties in Congress and represent my constituents in NY-1 at the highest level. I have also not missed any Army Reserve Duty as a result of this diagnosis.

Referring to the doctors who treated him, he added, “The medical field in our country is filled with the very best of society.”

State Senator Anthony Palumbo (R-New Suffolk) said, “I am very glad for Lee and his family and I send him my best wishes.”