{"id":1441332,"date":"2022-04-16T08:29:50","date_gmt":"2022-04-16T12:29:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1441332"},"modified":"2022-04-16T08:30:04","modified_gmt":"2022-04-16T12:30:04","slug":"democrats-in-such-a-mess-in-ny-a-republican-could-flip-the-governorship-red","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/democrats-in-such-a-mess-in-ny-a-republican-could-flip-the-governorship-red\/","title":{"rendered":"Democrats in Such a Mess in NY a Republican Could Flip the Governorship Red"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fdemocrats-in-such-a-mess-in-ny-a-republican-could-flip-the-governorship-red%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1441332&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><ul>\n<li><strong>The arrest of Democratic New York Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin could give the Republican Party an opportunity to flip the state governorship red.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>\u201cWe\u2019ve had 15 years of Democrat governors just leave office in disgrace \u2026 She is absolutely going to be tied as a part of that,\u201d New York state GOP spokeswoman Jessica Proud told the Daily Caller News Foundation.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>\u201cI think it is the best opportunity we\u2019ve had [in] a long time to win the governor\u2019s office,\u201d Republican New York Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay told the DCNF.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Democratic Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin\u2019s arrest for allegedly taking part in a campaign finance scheme has made Republicans believe they have their best shot in decades to flip the New York governor\u2019s office.<\/p>\n<p>Benjamin <a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2022\/04\/12\/new-york-lt-gov-brian-benjamin-arrested-campaign-finance-scheme\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">faces<\/a> federal bribery charges in relation to a 2021 campaign, with authorities alleging he funneled fraudulent donations. He surrendered to federal authorities on Tuesday and resigned from his office.<\/p>\n<p>Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul assumed office in August after former Gov. Andrew Cuomo <a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2021\/08\/10\/cuomo-announces-resignation-following-ag-sexual-harassment-report\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">resigned<\/a> following numerous scandals related to his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as allegations of sexual harassment. She faces a Democratic primary in June, with Benjamin still expected to be her running mate on the ballot.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think they\u2019re scrambling right now trying to see how they can get him off the ballot,\u201d New York state GOP spokeswoman Jessica Proud told the Daily Caller News Foundation. \u201cThe whole thing was just like a giant embarrassment.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Under New York law, a candidate is not allowed to step off the ballot if they\u2019ve accepted a party nomination unless they die, move out of state, or are nominated for a different office, the New York Daily News <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nydailynews.com\/news\/politics\/new-york-elections-government\/ny-democrats-election-law-change-remove-brian-benjamin-ballot-20220414-fcgdqtaekzg4zdkxis57cd6ssy-story.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">reported<\/a>. After his arrest, Democratic lawmakers in the state, including Hochul, publicly came out in favor of an election law change that would allow Benjamin to leave the ballot.<\/p>\n<p>Regardless of whether the change is enacted, Republicans intend to \u201cpaint [Hochul] as just being part of the same \u2026 corrupt, disastrous gubernatorial administrations that we\u2019ve had in New York,\u201d Proud said. \u201cShe\u2019s no different than Andrew Cuomo and we\u2019ve had 15 years of Democrat governors just leave office in disgrace \u2026 She is absolutely going to be tied as a part of that.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_7410880\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\">\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-7410880\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and State Senator Brian Benjamin wave at the crowd during a press conference announcing him as her Lt. Governor on August 26, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cShe said she was going to turn the page and have transparency and clean up the ways things are in Albany,\u201d Republican New York Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay told the DCNF. \u201cAnd here you\u2019ve got the second-highest person in the executive branch \u2026 handpicked lieutenant governor had to resign because he was arrested on corruption charges.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Hochul, who appointed Benjamin in September, denied knowing about any potential wrongdoing, despite reports indicating he had been given subpoenas for financial records concerning donations before he was selected, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2022\/04\/12\/nyregion\/brian-benjamin-arrested.html?smid=tw-share\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">according<\/a> to The New York Times.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat was her first major decision that she \u2026 had to demonstrate judgment on,\u201d Proud said. \u201cHis gross, gross ethical misconduct was something that was on display, and she chose him anyway.\u201d <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2022\/04\/12\/kathy-hochul-calls-end-mass-shooting-brooklyn-new-york-shooting\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">(RELATED: \u2018No More Mass Shootings\u2019: New York Gov. Kathy Hochul Laments Mass Shooting)<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A Republican has not won the governorship of New York since George Pataki secured reelection in 2002. Kyle Kondik, managing editor of election forecaster Sabato\u2019s Crystal Ball, told the DCNF he was skeptical a lieutenant governor could have any meaningful impact on a governor\u2019s race but acknowledged Hochul\u2019s choice of Benjamin might prove to be a factor.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCertainly it\u2019s something that her rivals in the primary could point to and also \u2026 whoever the Republican nominee ends up being,\u201d Kondik said. \u201cI don\u2019t know, at the end of the day, how significant it will be.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He emphasized that New York is \u201csuch a blue state\u201d that it would still be incredibly difficult for the GOP to manage a victory.\u00a0Still, because Republicans have a positive electoral environment, Sabato\u2019s Crystal Ball has not <a href=\"https:\/\/centerforpolitics.org\/crystalball\/2022-governor\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">rated<\/a> the race as \u201csafe\u201d for Democrats, Kondik said.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_7410881\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-7410881\" class=\"wp-image-7410881 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1318897952-scaled-1-1.jpg\" alt=\"House Republican Israel Caucus Holds News Conference On Ongoing Conflict In Middle East\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1318897952-scaled-1-1.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/cdn01.dailycaller.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1318897952-180x120.jpg 180w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1318897952-620x413-1-1.jpg 620w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1318897952-768x512-1-1.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1318897952-1536x1024-2.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1318897952-2048x1365-1-1.jpg 2048w\" \/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-7410881\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">House Republican Israel Caucus members, including Co-Chair Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY) (C) hold a news conference to talk about the military conflict between Israel and Palestinians in Gaza outside the U.S. Capitol on May 19, 2021 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>A March internal poll from Rep. Lee Zeldin\u2019s campaign for the Republican nomination had him beating Hochul by half a percentage point in a head-to-head matchup, the New York Post <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2022\/03\/14\/republican-lee-zeldin-says-he-can-beat-ny-gov-kathy-hochul\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">reported<\/a>. The poll, conducted by McLaughlin &#038; Associates, found Hochul had a 44% approval rating and a 48% disapproval rating.<\/p>\n<p>Conservatives found renewed success in Virginia in 2021 when <a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2021\/11\/02\/glenn-youngkin-terry-mcauliffe-virginia-governor-election-2021\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Glenn Youngkin<\/a> became the first Republican to win statewide since 2009. Barclay pointed to the success Republicans found in winning over suburban women who were frustrated over various education issues in Virginia.<\/p>\n<p>Unlike Youngkin, however, a candidate like <a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2021\/04\/08\/new-york-lee-zeldin-gubernatorial-campaign-cuomo\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Zeldin<\/a>\u00a0would have a congressional record that Democrats could point to, Kondik said. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2022\/04\/13\/cook-political-report-kathy-hochul-new-york\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">(RELATED: Cook Political Report Delivers More Bad News For NY Dems)<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf Democrats are trying to tie the Republican nominee to Trump, Zeldin\u2019s probably a lot easier to tie to Trump than Youngkin was, just because Zeldin\u2019s \u2026 already been very active in national politics and Congress,\u201d Kondik said.<\/p>\n<p>Proud and Barclay said Benjamin\u2019s arrest was only one of a number of issues pushing voters away from the state Democratic Party and that conservatives had their strongest chance at winning in years.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think this is the best opportunity we\u2019ve had [in] a long time to win the governor\u2019s office,\u201d Barclay said. He told the DCNF that even before the scandal, high inflation, gas prices, and crime were giving Republicans \u201cgood hope\u201d of victory in November.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCOVID restrictions, like keeping the kids out of classrooms, just oppressive mandates on small businesses, you know, attacks on freedom, the high taxes and regulations \u2026 New York was facing just the perfect storm of things going wrong,\u201d Proud said.<\/p>\n<p>Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact <a href=\"mailto:licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org\">licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The arrest of Democratic New York Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin could give the Republican Party an opportunity to flip the state governorship red. \u201cWe\u2019ve had 15 years of Democrat governors<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":498,"featured_media":2315279,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1441332","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1441332","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/498"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1441332"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1441332\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2315279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1441332"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1441332"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1441332"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}