The Nassau County Republican Committee endorsed U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley) for governor on Thursday at the party’s Westbury headquarters.

Republican officials from Nassau County gathered to praise Zeldin for his service on Long Island as a member of Congress. Officials said Zeldin, if elected, would combat state bail reform laws, bring economic development to New York and cut taxes.

“I join all my colleagues in enthusiastically supporting Lee Zeldin’s candidacy for governor,” Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said. “We’ve got to come out of darkness. We’ve got to bring light back to New York state. We have to bring common sense back to New York state. And Lee Zeldin is the one to do that.”

Zeldin said he will waste “no time” in ending “all COVID mandates” if elected.

He also said he will aim to provide law enforcement with the tools needed to effectively protect New York streets.

“We are going to send a message to our men and women in blue when we start repealing cashless bail and make sure the ‘defund the police’ crowd know that they are no longer in charge,” Zeldin said.

Zeldin also said New Yorkers have been fleeing the state because they feel “their wallets, their safety, their kids’ education and their freedoms are under attack.”

Zeldin has been a supporter of Donald Trump, voting against a resolution that claimed the former president “incited an insurrection against the government of the United States” with the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. During Trump’s impeachment probe in January 2021, Zeldin said, “Let’s be honest that this president did a lot to make America greater than ever.”
Zeldin also said the Jan. 6 event was a “pre-planned attack,” citing pipe bombs that were discovered and saying the Capitol’s perimeter was breached while Trump was speaking.

Zeldin touched on the success the Republican Party had throughout Nassau County in the  November elections, which saw a handful of Democratic incumbents lose their seats.

The Nassau County GOP was selected to host the New York Republican Party’s statewide nominating convention at the Garden City Hotel from Feb. 28 to March 1. The announcement was made in January by Nick Langworthy, chairman of the state’s Republican Party. He touted the work of Nassau GOP Chairman Joseph Cairo Jr. in getting Republicans elected on a county and town level in November.

“I’m thrilled that Chairman Cairo has agreed to host us,” Langworthy said in a statement. “He is the ultimate strategist who is a key part of our team helping to lead our candidates to victory. This convention will put a huge spotlight on how we plan to replicate Nassau’s victories statewide.”

Zeldin joins a Republican field for governor that includes Andrew Guiliani, Rob Astorino, Derrick Gibson, Michael Carpinelli and Kris Lord. Fellow U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) is also running for governor in a Democratic field that includes Gov. Kathy Hochul, Jumaane Williams, Paul Nichols and Nicolae Bunea.