GOP eyes fresh shot at NY governor’s seat after latest Dem scandal

With one other Democrat embroiled in scandal, New York Republicans are feeling extra optimistic they’ll flip the traditionally blue state in November and win management of the governor’s workplace.

Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin resigned Tuesday after being charged with bribery in an alleged public corruption scheme, lower than a 12 months after Gov. Andrew Cuomo resigned amid sexual harassment allegations. 

“I actually do consider that New York is poised to elect a Republican governor this 12 months,” Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., advised Fox Information Digital. “And I do know it sounds loopy as a result of we’re an overwhelmingly Democratic state, however look what occurred in Virginia. Look what occurred in New Jersey — nearly.”

WHAT ARE THE CAMPAIGN FINANCE CHARGES THAT FORCED NY LT GOV BENJAMIN TO RESIGN?

Republican Gov. Glen Youngkin pulled off an upset win in opposition to former Democratic Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe in November, buoyed by mobilized dad and mom involved about training points. And Democratic New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy had a too-close-for-comfort win over Republican Jack Ciattarelli final 12 months that wasn’t even on the nationwide radar as being aggressive. 

Republicans have argued the bottom is ripe for change in New York, following a string of scandals in Albany, financial fallout from COVID-19, against the law spike, mass outbound migration and excessive inflation.

“How rather more will it take for New Yorkers to alter course?” Malliotakis stated. 

“[With] the destruction that we have seen underneath one celebration rule of our metropolis and our state – I really feel this election is our final likelihood to actually save our state.”

Benjamin, 45, was the most recent New York politician to be hit with a scandal. Federal authorities allege that he struck a corrupt cut price with an actual property developer and directed a $50,000 state grant to a nonprofit group the developer managed. In trade, the developer funneled tens of 1000’s of {dollars} to Benjamin’s marketing campaign accounts.

“It is a easy story of corruption,” Damian Williams, america Legal professional for the Southern District of New York, stated Tuesday. 

WASHINGTON, DC – MAY 19: Rep. Nicole Malliotakis speaks (R-NY) throughout a Home Choose Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Disaster listening to within the Rayburn Home Workplace Constructing on Capitol Hill Might 19, 2021 in Washington, D.C.
(Susan Walsh-Pool/Getty Pictures)

Benjamin, by means of his attorneys, has denied the fees and pledged to show in courtroom “why his actions have been laudable, not prison.”

“There has by no means been a federal case like this in America,” attorneys James D. Gatta and William J. Harrington stated in an announcement. “Brian supported a $50,000 grant to Pals of Public Faculty Harlem. Each greenback was to purchase provides for public faculty college students in Harlem. There was nothing inappropriate about this grant.”

Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul accepted Benjamin’s resignation after his arrest. She selected Benjamin, then a state lawmaker, to function her second-in-command when she turned governor, taking up for Cuomo.

BROOKLYN SUBWAY SHOOTING SUSPECT FRANK JAMES IN CUSTODY, ENDING 24+ HOUR MANHUNT; ‘WE GOT HIM’

“Whereas the authorized course of performs out, it’s clear to each of us that he can not proceed to function lieutenant governor,” Hochul stated in an announcement Tuesday. “New Yorkers deserve absolute confidence of their authorities, and I’ll proceed working each day to ship for them.”

Hochul’s opponents forged her as having unhealthy judgement –– being sandwiched between two Democratic scandals. 

GOP Rep. Lee Zeldin, who’s operating for governor, stated Hochul has been both been “complicit or out to lunch” with scandals surrounding her companions in workplace. He stated Hochul ought to have by no means chosen Benjamin within the first place. 

WASHINGTON, DC – MAY 20: Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY) attends a press convention on the present battle between Israel and the Palestinians on Might 20, 2021 in Washington, DC. The Republicans voiced their assist for Israel and urged the Biden Administration to intervene.
(Kevin Dietsch/Getty Pictures)

“I consider that his assist for the defund the police agenda ought to have disqualified him final summer season,” Zeldin advised Fox Information Digital of the Harlem politician. “And quick ahead to most lately, it was very telling that when Kathy Hochul was requested final week about all of those reported investigations and scandal [surrounding Benjamin] … that Hochul’s play name was to triple down and to cowl for him. And that was simply final week.”

The final Republican to win governor in New York was George Pataki who served from 1995 to 2006.  Along with Zeldin, different Republicans operating for governor are Rob Astorino, Andrew Giuliani, Harry Wilson, Michael Carpinelli, Derrick Gibson and Kris Lord. Current polling had Zeldin forward. The first election is June 28. 

Benjamin is simply the most recent statewide elected Democrat in New York to resign or not search reelection amid scandal.

New York State Comptroller Alan Hevesi resigned in 2006 and finally served 20 months in jail for his function in a pay-to-play pension scandal. In 2008, Gov. Eliot Spitzer resigned within the wake of revelations that he patronized prostitutes whereas touring on official enterprise.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul speaks to reporters after a ceremonial swearing-in ceremony on the state Capitol, Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021, in Albany, N.Y. 
(AP Photograph)

Spitzer ceded energy to Lt. Gov. David Paterson, making him the state’s first Black governor. However Paterson ended his bid for election to a full time period as governor in 2010 amid scandal over whether or not he and his troopers intimidated a girl who’d reported home violence in opposition to certainly one of his high authorities aides. 

Then got here Cuomo who resigned in 2021 after a barrage of sexual harassment allegations which he denied. Cuomo additionally confronted backlash for misrepresenting what number of nursing house residents died of COVID-19. 

Now, eight months later, one other New York Democrat is compelled to resign. 

March 12, 2008: former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer is seen saying his resignation.
(AP)

“If the Republicans ever had an opportunity to win a statewide workplace, proper now could be the time,” Rep. Claudia Tenney, R-N.Y., advised Fox Information Digital. Tenney, a former state lawmaker, has lengthy decried corruption in Albany and summed up the Benjamin scandal as the most recent chapter within the “capital of corruption.”

Hochul already had challengers in fellow Democrats Rep. Tom Suozzi, New York Metropolis Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and legal professional Paul Nichols. The Democratic major can also be June 28, the place Benjamin should have to look on the poll with Hochul due to election guidelines. 

Rep. Claudia Tenney, R-N.Y., in an official headshot supplied by her workplace. 
(Congresswoman Claudia Tenney)

Spencer Kimball, govt director of Emerson Faculty Polling, says there’s a gap for Republicans in November. 

“In our March state-wide ballot of New York voters, we discovered Gov. Kathy Hochul with a 41% job disapproval and 40% job approval,” Kimball advised Fox Information Digital. “Extra particularly, her approval is at 57% with Democrats and solely 24% with Independents, indicating a possible for a aggressive common election if the Republican candidate can courtroom Impartial New York voters.”

The largest wildcard within the race continues to be whether or not Cuomo may launch an unbiased run for governor, which might additional fracture the Democratic base. 

Zeldin stated he already felt the political grounds shifting in New York, as voters wish to really feel protected on their streets and their subways, have extra management over their kids’s training, increase the economic system and cut back the excessive value of residing in New York. Plus, with President Biden’s low approval rankings nationally, Republicans are eyeing a pink wave within the congressional midterm elections.

“There’s a terrific alternative right here on Nov. 8 for New Yorkers to take management of their future,” Zeldin stated Wednesday. “And the event of Brian Benjamin being arrested and indicted and resigning, I am positive will solely simply proceed the momentum that we already had going into yesterday.”

“I am not on this race to come back in second,” he added.