(Bloomberg) -- U.S. Representative Lee Zeldin, an ally of former president Donald Trump, accepted the New York state Republican Party's nomination as their candidate for the 2022 governor's race on Tuesday.
Republicans see opportunity in the wake of the scandal that led to the resignation of former Governor Andrew Cuomo. The three-term Democrat left office in August after state Attorney General Letitia James released a report detailing a pattern of alleged harassment against female state employees and other women. Cuomo has denied the allegations.
State Republican leaders began organizing as early as June, looking to avoid a primary and beat a weakened Cuomo. Still, Zeldin is expected to face a challenge in June from Westchester County Executive and 2014 gubernatorial nominee Rob Astorino; Andrew Giuliani, son of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani; and businessman Harry Wilson. They will have to petition to get on the ballot.
The June primary winner has a Gotham-sized sales job ahead. More than half of New York's 13.4 million voters are registered Democrats, compared with about 2.9 million registered Republicans, according to state Board of Elections data released in November. The last Republican governor of New York was George Pataki, who served three terms from 1995 to 2007.
Governor Kathy Hochul, the former lieutenant governor who took over for Cuomo, accepted the state Democratic Party's nomination for the governor's race on Feb. 17. Her remaining primary opponents include New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and U.S. Representative Tom Suozzi.
Hochul has become a formidable opponent, outraising Republican and Democratic contenders with $21.6 million in campaign funds so far for the governor's race.
Zeldin raised $4.24 million, including $75,000 he transferred from a congressional campaign account, and his campaign has $5.6 million in cash on hand, according to January campaign finance reports.
New York Democrats, in a statement, described Zeldin as “Trump's top defender and ally.” Republicans, meanwhile, have tried to paint Hochul as a protege of Cuomo.
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