A Republican strategist and a liberal academic have come to the same conclusion: the GOP is capitalizing on New Yorkers’ dissatisfaction with the Democrat Party’s leadership.
New York is home to more Republicans and unhappy Democrats than people like to acknowledge, according to Christina Greer, a lecturer at City College of New York. She reflected on the 2022 Republican gubernatorial campaign of Lee Zeldin and the unexpected level of support he garnered.
New York may not be a Democrat stronghold.
According to Greer, Joe Biden’s administration in 2022 was fragmented because of New York. Four House members defected to the GOP.
During last Thursday’s campaign event in New York City’s South Bronx, panelists on MSNBC’s Ana Cabrera Reports discussed former President Trump. Although the Empire State is renowned for its liberal leanings, they both acknowledged that Trump and the Republican Party are achieving unexpected gains there.
After a forty-year gap, Republicans finally gained a seat on the Bronx city council last year.
Kristy Marmorato, a Republican, was elected to represent the eastern Bronx’s 13th City Council district last November. Marmorato won with about 53% of the vote, while the other candidate came in second with nearly 47%.
Greer said she didn’t think Donald Trump would win New York, but it was worth noting that the Republican has gained a seat in 40 years. She suggested it brings attention to a larger problem for Biden. The 2020 Bronx election was seven percentage points more successful for Donald Trump than the 2016 campaign. In 2020, Biden’s performance in New York City was much lower than Clinton’s 2016 campaign.
Going to the Bronx is really just Donald Trump asking the Democrats there why Joe Biden hasn’t bothered to visit them and speak to them.
According to Greer, the story is that these neighborhoods are not receiving the level of respect that the Democrats should give them if they hope to improve voter participation. Donald Trump’s rallies are getting attention. That is a warning for Democrats across the board, not just in New York City and the battleground states.
