Metro

Virginia Gov. Youngkin passes ‘baton’ to Zeldin as GOP sees NY as next blue-state upset

Seeing the parallels to his own stunning victory last year, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin was in New York Monday to “pass the baton” to surging fellow Republican Lee Zeldin as polls show his campaign against Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul is now a toss-up.

“I’m here to pass the baton to Lee Zeldin for him to become your next governor,” a fired-up Youngkin told about 500 Zeldin supporters in Mount Pleasant nearly one year after his own epic victory in another blue-leaning state.

“You all on Nov. 8 are gonna watch something happen. It’s gonna send a shockwave around the world,” Youngkin added.

Youngkin beat former Gov. Terry McAuliffe last year with the help of trademark red vests, one of which he gave to Zeldin Monday, as well as voter backlash to an infamous remark from his Democratic rival dismissing the role of parents in crafting their children’s education.

Zeldin has campaigned heavily on crime and inflation — the two issues that voters have said over and over in polls are the most important to them — while trying to become the latest Republican to defy political gravity by getting elected, like Youngkin and former New York Gov. George Pataki, in a state where Democrats have historically dominated.

Wooing disaffected Democrats and independents will be key, Pataki said Monday while recalling his own upset victory over three-term Democratic powerhouse Gov. Mario Cuomo in 1994.

Republican Lee Zeldin is feeling the pressure as polls show his campaign against Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul is now a toss-up. Douglas Healey for The New York Post

“With your help, with your energy, with your support from Republicans, independents Democrats, left to right, understanding we need to change this thing. We’re gonna see Nov. 8 around 10 o’clock those same commentators choking on their mics,” Pataki said at the same rally.

Polls show Zeldin within single digits of Hochul — who became governor last year following the resignation of disgraced ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo — despite registered Democrats’ outnumbering their GOP counterparts by roughly two-to-one statewide.

Both candidates reported about $6 million on hand for the final stretch of the campaign that ends Nov. 8

“We have all of the momentum in this race. We have all of the energy in this race, and we have the issues on our side,” Zeldin told reporters after the event.

“I’m here to pass the baton to Lee Zeldin for him to become your next governor,” a fired-up Glenn Youngkin said. Douglas Healey for The New York Post

Congressional hopeful Mike Lawler — who is locked in a tight race against Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chair Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney in Westchester — as well as Zeldin’s running mate Alison Esposito, AG candidate Michael Henry and Joe Pinion, who debated US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer Sunday night, all spoke at the rally.

Henry hit Democratic Attorney General Letitia James for being the lone statewide incumbent to not commit to a debate ahead of the final day of voting on Nov. 8. She subsequently confirmed she is ducking any debate.

Youngkin is among the growing number of big political names weighing in on the gubernatorial race in New York, with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis appearing with Zeldin on Long Island this past weekend.

Polls show Zeldin within single digits of Hochul. Douglas Healey for The New York Post

Democrats, meanwhile, have had to call in the big guns in a race they never expected to need such resources, recruiting former President Barack Obama to record a robocall for Hochul, and with President Biden making two stops upstate that helped promote her flagging campaign.

The Democratic incumbent had emphasized abortion rights, gun control and Zeldin’s votes against certifying 2020 presidential results while arguing that he would be too politically extreme to lead the Empire State, until she recently pivoted to talking crime, albeit largely tied to calling for tighter gun control laws.

Hochul, who has way out-fundraised Zeldin even resorted recently to saying she is running like the “underdog” in the race.

Youngkin is another well-known politician vocalizing his say on New York’s gubernatorial race. Douglas Healey for The New York Post

“There’s just not enough guns out there, according to Lee. Four hundred million guns in this country is just not enough. He wants to arm all of our teachers and have guns in our classrooms where our children are supposed to be learning. I am angry about this,” she said at a Monday event in Manhattan.

Recent polls have highlighted how issues like crime and the economy remain top of mind for voters.

Some attendees at the Monday rally for Zeldin said they are supporting him despite having some differences with him on issues like abortion, with an independent voter named Jane telling The Post she didn’t feel Hochul was focusing enough on crime.

“I feel like Kathy Hochul is like: ‘Why is that important about crime?'” Jane said in reference to a comment Hochul made at her recent debate against Zeldin. “All she’s focusing on is abortion – and that’s not my immediate worry.”

Additional reporting by Kyle Schnitzer.