A battle for former President Trump’s blessing is raging in New York’s Republican gubernatorial-primary race.
Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-Long Island) and Andrew Giuliani, a former Trump White House aide, both courted the former president in separate trips to Mar-A-Lago this week.
“If Zeldin gets it, Giuliani is dead because it cuts into Giuliani’s primary argument that he is the authentic Trump conservative,” said one statewide GOP strategist not aligned with either candidate.
Andrew Giuliani was down at Trump’s Palm Beach resort Thursday, and was spotted schmoozing with Trump. Insiders say Giuliani almost certainly pressed Trump on the issue, but the candidate was mum when asked.
“I keep my personal conversations with the president private,” he said.
Zeldin was there just hours later for a blowout fundraiser on Friday. But a glossy invite made no mention of Trump .
“Congressman Zeldin has remained in contact with President Trump. As it relates to the New York Governor’s race, Congressman Zeldin won’t be getting ahead of President Trump in making any news today on the specifics of those conversations,” Katie Vincentz, a campaign spokeswoman said.
“Congressman Zeldin’s campaign is not only now polling 31 points ahead of his closest potential GOP primary opponent, but he’s also now polling ahead of Kathy Hochul as well. Losing is not an option,” Vincentz added.
Allies for both men note they have impeccable Trump credentials. Zeldin has voted 100% with Trump’s positions in the current congressional session and nine out of 10 times in the previous Congress, according to an analysis by 538. He was a co chair of Trump’s 2020 presidential campaign.
Andrew Giuliani worked in Trump’s White House as associate director of the Office of the Public Liaison and later as a special assistant to the president. They were frequent golfing buddies. His father Rudy Giuliani has been chummy with Trump for decades and later served as an indefatigable attorney and surrogate amid Trump’s myriad public scandals.
Other candidates in the race, like former Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino are not on Trump’s radar, insiders say.
A person close to Trump said “he thinks Lee Zeldin is going to win, but because of his personal relations with Giuliani, he is staying out.”
“Trump always changes his mind on stuff,” he cautioned. “But I do know his basic view as of recently is that Andrew has no shot.”
Zeldin is the overwhelming favorite of the state’s GOP establishment and his campaign.
“I do believe that some of the president’s inner core … are certainly advocating for Lee,” said state Conservative Party Chairman Gerard Kassar.
Andrew Giuliani’s ace, however, remains his famous dad, who has repeatedly lobbied Trump on his behalf of his son, insiders say.
The former president has been bruised in the past, after coming out early for for candidates who later flame out — like Pennsylvania Senate hopeful Sean Parnell. Those close to him say he has long favored Zeldin, but has thus far stayed neutral out of respect for Rudy Giuliani.
