What's next for Lee Zeldin? The Republican came
within single digits of defeating Gov. Kathy Hochul in the fall -- and many
credit his campaign coat tails for allowing the GOP to re-take control of the
House.
News
12 spoke with the former congressman this week as part of a News
12 Power & Politics special.
Zeldin
didn't win the race for governor of New York, but he was highly competitive in
a deep blue state, and so even in defeat he
still raised his political profile, both at home, and across the country.
“There's no regrets. If we were to go forward and do this again, let's say in
four years, it's a possibility. What's important is that you have lessons
learned,” said Zeldin.
Zeldin says he'll channel those lessons into helping other Republican
candidates across the country -- with the creation of a new political action
committee aimed at reaching out to minority voters.
“When a political consultant tells me that I should not go somewhere. My first
thought is that is the most important place for me to go. Why? Because that
probably means that there is a school of thought that has gone on for a really
long time where Republicans haven't gone there. That means there's an untapped
opportunity,” said Zeldin.
Zeldin also spoke to News 12 about Congressman George Santos -- a man who he
campaigned alongside and who is now under investigation by the House Ethics
Committee.
“All
the stuff that's come out, I was not aware of any of it,” said Zeldin.
Zeldin was asked if he should resign, his response
was “Listen, if I was in his shoes, the answer is yes in a heartbeat. If I was
in his shoes, I would never be doing what he is doing,” said Zeldin.