Featured Story

Top Stories 2021: Rep. Lee Zeldin launches bid for governor

Lee Zeldin has declared a bid for New York’s governor seat in 2022.

If Mr. Zeldin becomes the Republican party’s official nominee for the race, he would need to leave his seat in Congress. He is currently one of eight New York Republicans in the House of Representatives. 

“After talking to New Yorkers who feel like this is a last stand, the last great opportunity to save New York and the fact that to save our state Andrew Cuomo has got to go, I’m announcing here this morning on your show that I’m running for governor of New York in 2022,” Mr. Zeldin said during an April appearance on “Fox & Friends.” “We are going to win this race.”

Former governor Andrew Cuomo resigned in August after a bombshell report that concluded he’d sexually harassed multiple women and fostered a workplace “rife with fear and intimidation.” The report came on the heels of other scandals, including a revelation that his administration had obscured the number of nursing home deaths during the pandemic. 

The position has since been assumed by Gov. Kathy Hochul.

A political ally of former president Donald Trump in recent years, Mr. Zeldin listed taxes and public safety concerns among the chief reasons behind his run. He has held his current seat for four terms and previously served two terms in the state senate. 

His announcement came despite a battle with leukemia, which he announced was in complete remission in September. 

“My doctor says I currently have no evidence of this disease in my system,” he said. “My health is phenomenal and I continue to operate at 110%.” 

His gubernatorial run has the backing of both the Suffolk and Nassau county Republican chairs. The last Republican to hold the New York governor office was George Pataki in 2002. 

Official candidates for the 2022 race on Ballotpedia include, along with Mr. Zeldin: Gov. Hochul (D); Nicolae Bunea (D); Paul Nichols (D); Tom Suozzi (D); Jumaane Williams (D); Rob Astorino (R); Michael Carpinelli (R); Derrick Gibson (R); Andrew Giuliani (R); and Kris Lord (R).