Trump moves in on Zeldin

Daily Point

Who benefits from Trump’s endorsement of Zeldin?

Donald Trump didn’t endorse a candidate in the June Republican primary for governor when Andrew Giuliani, Rudy’s son, was running against Rep. Lee Zeldin and others. The Giulianis had Trump’s ear and because of Rudy’s legal problems, it wasn’t considered wise for the former president to cross him. While disappointed, Zeldin won the internecine battle handily and Trump headlined a September fundraiser for him in New Jersey, curiously not in New York. Still, Trump was quiet until Sunday, after the polls tightened and the media narrative changed, to give the Suffolk congressman his blessing on Truth Social, a new media platform with which the president is aligned. Trump posted: “Lee Zeldin is a WINNER who GOT THINGS DONE. He will be a GREAT Governor of New York, and has my Complete & Total Endorsement. GOOD LUCK LEE!"

But was the endorsement more to help Zeldin or Trump?

Zeldin had been seeking Trump’s endorsement and the lack of it was surprising and disturbing to many Zeldin supporters. After all, Zeldin was on Trump’s impeachment defense team and was a constant presence on cable news supporting Trump during his presidency. “Lee laid himself down on the tracks for him,” said one Long Island supporter who was disappointed in Trump’s reticence to get involved. Trump’s GOP bingo card so far this cycle has almost sure winners on it, safe bets, that will allow him to boost his sterling record. Until recently, Zeldin didn’t have that “WINNER” aura Trump requires.

Still, Trump’s donors and even some family members had kept up the requests for him to wade in, according to a strategist familiar with the discussions. And when Zeldin, using public safety as a wedge issue, was able to close the gap with Democrat Kathy Hochul, Trump got more interested. Trump and Zeldin share the services of pollster John McLaughlin. But at this point, did Zeldin really need Trump’s imprimatur to win votes from moderate and independent New Yorkers?

If Zeldin wins in New York, Trump can say he made all the difference in the outcome, boosting his own stature for 2024 and allowing him more rhetorical firepower in his continuing attacks on state Attorney General Letitia James, who has brought a civil action against the Trump Organization.

But could the late timing change the campaign’s dynamics? Monday, Zeldin downplayed the endorsement. “It shouldn’t have been news. He supported me before this weekend … it’s not about the former president,” said Zeldin as reported by Newsday’s Michael Gormley, who is covering the campaign.

Zeldin’s weak response contrasts with Hochul’s seizing the endorsement to hammer her issue that Zeldin wanted Trump to stay in power. Her campaign account tweeted on Monday that Zeldin had texted White House chief of staff Mark Meadows with ideas to overturn the 2020 election results. “There's no gray area here — he is a threat to our democracy and too extreme for New York," said Hochul.

Zeldin’s strategy now is to brush off Trump’s attention.

“Lee is keeping his head down and running hard. There will be plenty of time after the election to figure out whether it made a difference,” a GOP strategist told The Point.

— Rita Ciolli @ritaciolli

Talking Point

Money politics

Since leaving office in January 2021, former Rep. Pete King has doled out funds from his campaign account to local and out-of-state candidates, including the campaigns of Republican congressional candidates in his backyard. Filings posted on Friday show that he has cut checks this cycle for CD4’s Anthony D’Esposito, CD1’s Nick LaLota, and CD2’s Andrew Garbarino. That’s all of the GOP congressional candidates vying to represent Long Island — except CD3’s George Santos.

The omission is striking given the fact that King gave to various other New York Republican congressional hopefuls this cycle as well — including four running in New York City and the Hudson Valley.

There is even some western Nassau County overlap between King’s old district and the new CD3 where Santos is running against Democrat Robert Zimmerman — a stalwart of Nassau county politics, communications and fundraising with whom King has teamed up in the past.

King did not return requests for comment about why he has not used his campaign account to boost Santos, or whether he plans to or has done so since the latest filings posted. He had nearly $500,000 left in his campaign account as of the end of September.

Santos, who also did not respond to The Point on this subject, is a Queens native who told The Point back in the spring that he planned to move to Oyster Bay. But regardless of his exact address these days, he is less of a known political quantity on Long Island than the other Nassau and Suffolk congressional candidates who have held political office or served in local government.

Though King’s recent filings don’t show direct contributions to Santos, the former congressman has contributed funds to the county Republican Party, which in turn has contributed to Santos.

Mike Deery, a spokesman for the Nassau Republican committee, told The Point that the committee is “fully engaged” and “dedicated” to Santos.

— Mark Chiusano @mjchiusano

Pencil Point

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Quick Points

Threat alerts

• Suffolk County was warned about a possible cyberattack three months before county officials managed to detect the large-scale intrusion. Forewarned is … oops.
• Newsday compiled a list of the region’s most dangerous roads, with the goal of making them safer. Too bad there’s no way to compile a list of the region’s most dangerous drivers, with the goal of making them safer.
• Russian police and military officers are grabbing unsuspecting men off the country’s streets, outside Metro stations, in cafes and restaurants and construction company dormitories, and even from a homeless shelter, to fight in Ukraine. So that’s what Vladimir Putin meant when he said his conscription effort was going well.
• Asked whether former President Donald Trump will testify before the House Jan. 6 committee, member Rep. Adam Kinzinger replied that “he has nothing to hide is what he says, so he should come in on the day we ask him to come….” Kinzinger certainly knows that what Trump says is often not what he means.
• Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said former President Donald Trump kept classified documents at Mar-a-Lago as a “trophy.” Usually, you get a trophy after you win.
• Colorado Republican Senate nominee Joe O’Dea, who has branded himself a moderate, said last weekend he would “actively campaign against” former President Donald Trump if Trump attempts another run at the White House. In the GOP, that’s extreme.
• He was terrific in “Cracker,” humorous in two James Bond films, but beloved as Hagrid. RIP, Robbie Coltrane.

— Michael Dobie @mwdobie