A Democrat city councilman from Queens, New York, has endorsed the Republican nominee for governor, Lee Zeldin. Councilman Robert Holden cited New York City’s crime problems and quality of life issues as reasons for his support of Zeldin. The New York Post reports that Holden stated, “Just look at the current condition of New York City and New York State: There’s mayhem in our streets, in our courts, in our jails.” He explained, “We’re headed in the wrong direction. The handwriting is on the wall. Lee Zeldin is the best option for voters.”
The governor’s race polling has been inconsistent, with some surveys showing Zeldin trailing Hochul by 15 to 24 percentage points. However, Zeldin’s campaign has found encouragement in other polls that place him within single digits of the incumbent.
The Queens councilman’s relationship with his party has been rocky. In 2017, after losing the Democratic primary, he won the general election on the Republican ticket but later caucused with the Democrats. Recently, Holden has drawn attention for his scathing critiques of the state’s divisive bail reform legislation. He also urged the NYPD to resume its 1990s “Broken Windows” police tactics, which involved stopping and searching New Yorkers when officers had cause to believe there could be a threat to the public. The practice, known as “stop-and-frisk,” has since been restricted following a court decision labeling it racial profiling.
