Rep. Zeldin wins Republican nomination for New York governor

Lee Zeldin
Photo credit Representative Lee Zeldin, a Republican from New York, listens during the Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) Annual Leadership Meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S., on Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021. Following Tuesday's results, the National Republican Campaign Committee added 13 House Democrats to the list of 57 it was targeting for defeat in the midterm elections as the GOP seeks to erase Democrats five-seat margin in the House and control of the 50-50 Senate with Vice President Kamala Harris's vote. Photographer: Bridget Bennett/Bloomberg via Getty Images

NEW YORK (WBEN/AP) — U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin won the Republican Party’s nomination to be New York governor on Tuesday.

Zeldin, an Army Reserve lieutenant colonel who has represented eastern Long Island in Congress since 2015, is a staunch ally of former President Donald Trump and was among the Republicans in Congress who voted against certifying the 2020 election results.

He defeated primary challenges from former Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, businessman Harry Wilson and Andrew Giuliani, the son of New York City’s former mayor Rudy Giuliani.

Zeldin will try in November to become the first Republican elected governor in New York since Gov. George Pataki was reelected in 2002.

Featured Image Photo Credit: Representative Lee Zeldin, a Republican from New York, listens during the Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) Annual Leadership Meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S., on Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021. Following Tuesday's results, the National Republican Campaign Committee added 13 House Democrats to the list of 57 it was targeting for defeat in the midterm elections as the GOP seeks to erase Democrats five-seat margin in the House and control of the 50-50 Senate with Vice President Kamala Harris's vote. Photographer: Bridget Bennett/Bloomberg via Getty Images