Governor
In the Gubernatorial Race, The Messenger dares to endorse Congressman Lee Zeldin to restore a semblance of common sense to New York State. Try as we might, the editorial board could find little cause to endorse the unelected Governor Kathy Hochul. Had she kept her promises to uphold transparency, accountability and reputability to Albany, she would warrant your consideration at the ballot.
Yet, from her earliest actions, she decided to continue the longstanding Albany tradition of opacity. What little escapes the black hole of Albany points to corruption, conflicting interests, and an absence of responsibility.
Whether it is her family’s involvement in the Buffalo Bills Stadium or her political donors receiving no-bid contracts under the guise of COVID-19 protocols, or her decision to dismiss thousands of healthcare professionals at the height of the pandemic for not violating their freedom of conscience, Hochul has left the state in far worse condition than she found it.
The answer to fulfill Hochul’s promise to restore the legislature as a coequal branch of government would appear to lie in Zeldin. A member of the numerical and political minority, Zeldin will have to work for the approval of New York. While having policies his opponents attack as being ‘too radical for New Yorkers’ on abortion, these policies would not advance through the legislature, nor are his opponent’s characterizations accurate. And given the apparent corruption in Albany – given the need to restore accountability – why would anyone propose continuing the reign of Hochul?
A vote for Zeldin is a vote against the status quo of calculated destruction. It is a vote to fix so-called ‘bail reform,’ which has unleashed a barrage of criminality against our communities. It is a vote against arbitrary exercises of power, the likes of which created a massive labor shortage in the fields of healthcare and education. It is a vote for your future because leaving is not an option.
Comptroller
The Messenger proudly endorses Thomas DiNapoli for New York State Comptroller. Since his ascension to office, DiNapoli has been a neutral and honest voice in Albany– one of the few. He’s shown a willingness to speak out against his own party and deliver results for the taxpayers. While members of his party often delight themselves in fantastical notions of budgetary possibility, DiNapoli remains firmly grounded on planet earth. His reports and proposals are sobering to any that dare to indulge in excess.
Attorney General
In the race for Attorney General, The Messenger endorses Michael Henry over incumbent Letitia James. New York desperately needs a neutral law enforcement officer, a quality not found in James. Her obsession with former President Donald J. Trump might be politically expedient in New York and possibly justified, but it is her handling of former Governor Andrew Cuomo’s corruption scandal that truly reveals the extent to which she weaponized her office for political gain. Her office moved at a snail’s pace when the corruption was in reference to a COVID-19-era nursing home death coverup or Cuomo using government resources to write his book. It took disgusting circumstances for her office to act and, even then, her office behaved in a way many accuse of being self-serving.
In Henry, voters are presented with a clean slate that is invigorated to work with legislative partners and local law enforcement agents to protect the taxpayer.
