PRESS RELEASE
Congressman Zeldin, Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin, Rensselaer County Republican Party Members and other local elected officials speak at the Rensselaer Esplanade on Friday, July 16, 2021.
NEW YORK – Today, the Rensselaer County Republican Party and local elected officials, including County Executive Steve McLaughlin, County Clerk Frank Merola, County Sheriff Pat Russo, Rensselaer Mayor Mike Stammel, Town Supervisors and members of the Rensselaer County Legislature, endorsed Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1) for Governor of New York State.
“Once, New York State was recognized as a world leader in economic advancement, a home to research and technological development, opportunity and strong quality of life. Today, it is sadly known as a state that residents seek to escape from, to get away from failed and corrupt leadership. We need to save New York with new leadership at the top, and Lee Zeldin is our choice for Governor,” said County Executive Steve McLaughlin.
“New York today is less safe, more expensive and plagued by scandal after scandal. Upstate has completely been forgotten. It is time for a change in the Governor’s mansion, and that change starts with Lee Zeldin,” said County Clerk Frank Merola.
“Too many residents do not feel safe in their homes or communities because of failed policies like Bail Reform. Change after change in our laws has allowed criminals to gain the upper hand and hurt our state and our residents. That is why we need Lee Zeldin as our next Governor, because he recognizes the need to make New York safer,” said Sheriff Pat Russo.
“New Yorkers have lost faith in their state government because the state has become captive to downstate progressive interests. Upstate communities do not get the attention they deserve or need and we believe that will change with Lee Zeldin as our Governor,” said Rensselaer Mayor Mike Stammel.
To date, the Suffolk, Nassau, Monroe, Ontario, Tioga, Madison, Oneida, Broome, Schenectady, Allegany, Steuben, Livingston, Wayne, Yates, Seneca, Schuyler, Orleans, Tompkins, Cayuga, Montgomery, Cattaraugus, Herkimer, Oswego, Ulster, Erie, Niagara, Columbia, Schoharie, Greene, Chautauqua, Onondaga, Richmond, Saratoga, Dutchess, Orange, Albany, Kings, Wyoming, Essex, Genesee, Otsego, Cortland, Chenango, Delaware, Queens, Sullivan and Rensselaer County Republican Party Chairs have endorsed Congressman Lee Zeldin, representing over 83% of the New York State GOP’s weighted gubernatorial vote. Over 50% is needed to become the endorsed Republican Party candidate for Governor.
Congressman Zeldin has been named the “presumptive nominee” for Governor of New York by both the Republican and Conservative Parties.
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About Lee Zeldin
Lee Zeldin was born and raised on Long Island. He grew up in Suffolk County and graduated from William Floyd High School in Mastic Beach, where his identical twin daughters attend school today. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York at Albany and then his law degree from Albany Law School, becoming New York’s youngest attorney at the time at the age of 23.
Lee spent four years on Active Duty with the U.S. Army after completing ROTC and served in different capacities, including as a Military Intelligence Officer, Prosecutor, and Military Magistrate. In the summer of 2006, while assigned to the Army’s elite 82nd Airborne Division, Lee deployed to Iraq with an infantry battalion of fellow paratroopers in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
In 2007, Lee returned to Suffolk County with his family. It was at this time that Lee transitioned from Active Duty to the Army Reserve, where he currently serves with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
In 2008, Lee established a successful law practice in Smithtown, NY. Elected to the New York State Senate two years later, in 2010, Lee’s been working hard every day since to keep the promises he made to the hard-working families he represents.
In the State Senate, Lee successfully fought to repeal the MTA Payroll Tax for 80 percent of employers, a job killing tax that was hurting small businesses. Lee led the successful efforts to repeal the Saltwater Fishing License Fee and create the PFC Joseph Dwyer Program, a statewide program in New York to help our returning veterans cope with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Lee also wrote the law that protects our fallen veterans and their families from protests at military burials.
Lee was then elected to the United States Congress in 2014, representing New York’s First Congressional District, and quickly became a leading voice in America on top local, domestic and foreign policy issues.
Lee has secured many key victories for Long Island, which have included among many other successes:
Saving Plum Island, by securing the repeal of a 2008 federal law requiring the island to be sold off to the highest bidder. He also secured funding to repair the historic Plum Island Lighthouse and funding necessary to remediate environmental concerns on the island.
- Delivering a $2 billion Electron Ion Collider project to Brookhaven National Lab.
- Securing $8.3 billion in much needed funding to support treatment, enforcement, and prevention for those affected by the heroin and opioid abuse crisis.
- Working with the Army Corps of Engineers to protect our coastlines, advancing the ambitious $1.5 billion Fire Island to Montauk Point project, in addition to several other vital projects on the north and south shores of Long Island.
- Co-Chairing the Long Island Sound Caucus and delivering vast quantities of funding for the Long Island Sound Program, National Estuary Program and SeaGrant.
- Introducing and passing into law his Adult Day Health Care legislation for disabled veterans and opening a new health care clinic for East End veterans.
- Co-authoring a bipartisan resolution (H.Res. 246) that passed the House opposing the anti-Israel and anti-Semitic Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement.
- Successfully resolving over 17,000 constituent cases in favor of NY-1 residents.