Donald Trump for U.S. President
Few movements are of the construction and fiber of what Donald Trump has been able to muster since he came down the Trump Tower escalator in June 2015. His entrance into American politics has completely changed the name of the game, giving us three elections none of us have seen in our lifetimes, ushering in a period to which many in the media, including ourselves, colloquially refer as the “Trump Era.”
Of more focus on 2024, Trump has established perhaps the most diverse array of support for a major campaign in the modern era, not just down to his support in the streets, but among the people he plans to take with him to Washington should he be re-elected to a second nonconsecutive term. Trump’s teamwork with Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is the closest this country has come to a fusion ticket in generations and vocal support from former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, now a Republican, of Hawaii, certainly helps us see that even those with some progressive stances not only realize that the left has gone too far, but that those same concerned citizens have a seat at the Trump table.
Moreover, the Florida Republican’s assembly of a slate of individuals does not agree with him on every issue, which Mr. Trump himself has acknowledged, but they instead look forward to solving the issues on which they do agree and have made that their premier selling point. It’s a breath of fresh air in a highly divisive era of politics and it’s one that’s much more desirable than the “bipartisan slate” Vice President Kamala Harris has put together, which includes notable war hawks like Dick Cheney and John Boulton. It’s a tradeoff we here at The Messenger are more than okay with.
Regarding the top two issues on most voters’ minds on a perennial basis, safety and the economy, Mr. Trump has regularly polled ahead of Ms. Harris in terms of which candidate is better equipped to handle both. Our conversations with people on the ground in deep-blue Manhattan reveal a very broad, yet somewhat tacit, base of support for the former president on these issues. Our June 6 cover story documented conversations with New Yorkers outside of Trump Tower the day after the president was convicted on thirty-four felony charges. We found that his support that day was not of an “old, white, angry” party, but a diverse coalition of people who mostly did not consider themselves Republicans. One gentleman spoke of the necessity to “learn finance” when Mr. Trump was president, due to finally being able to get ahead and make a living.
We also note Mr. Trump’s promises of no taxes on tips for service workers, no taxes on Social Security, and no taxes on overtime. The former president has also toyed with the idea of no federal income taxes at all and to return the country to an entirely tariff-based economy, one of which the country has not run in over a century. These are big promises, and ones we hope can and will be implemented. It’s now incumbent on Mr. Trump to deliver these promises, a process we’ll be watching closely.
Mr. Trump has also vowed to raise the cap on State and Local Tax (SALT) deductions that are so desperately needed here in New York. Although his 2017 legislation installed the $10,000 cap, Mr. Trump has signaled his intent to take a different approach to the deduction this year. With his future partners in Congress from Suffolk County, we believe that that is a highly feasible reality.
Mr. Trump’s ability to communicate with minority voters also signals that the Republican Party is changing, at least nationally, and for the better. Building a diverse coalition through which the public can air their grievances, which are mostly the same for the vast majority of Americans, is a step in the right direction for a major American political party, and one we look forward to seeing in action.
Finally, Mr. Trump has stumped in the Empire State three times this campaign. RFK spoke to Suffolk voters in May when he was still running as an Independent. Ms. Harris hasn’t given much of a message to New York, which isn’t much of a demerit considering the broad expectation that she will carry the state, but it makes our endorsement easier.
The Messenger endorses Trump.
Mike Sapraicone for U.S. Senate
New Yorkers can choose between two-term incumbent Senator Kirsten Gillibrand or go with a new face in Mike Sapraicone.
It’s difficult to see what Senator Gillibrand (D) has done for New York, much less Long Island. Moreover, it’s difficult to track any real presence from Gillibrand here, despite having a regional office in Melville. At least Senator Chuck Schumer (D) was present for two inaugurations here in January and his office is frequently in touch with state-level elected officials when needs arise.
Gillibrand’s absence and silence are deafening, and since winning a second full term in 2018, her crowning achievement seems to be running for president in 2020 amidst a crowded field. She didn’t have much to say then, which saw her rake in only paltry national support. Four years later, Gillibrand still doesn’t seem to have much to say. Her work on restoring the cash shortfall in the 9/11 First Responders’ fund is good work, but highly bipartisan, and a no-brainer project. We need more than that project to vouch for her.
Sapraicone is making his first full bid for office this year. The Floral Park Republican is a retired NYPD Detective and founder of Squad Security, a provider of “high-end corporate, technology, entertainment, and complex logistical security services,” according to their website. Sapraicone rightly sees Senator Schumer’s differing political views along with his visibility and accessibility, identifying a future partner in Washington. He also recognizes that Gillibrand is simply MIA, to the point where she receives reflected credit from the weight Schumer can pull in Washington.
Additionally, Gillibrand is not exceptionally bipartisan. The Lugar Center’s Bipartisan Index tracks her as the sixty-first most bipartisan Senator in 2023. It’s not terrible, but it’s not great either, especially considering her apparent timidity with Long Island voters.
The Senate needs another voice of reason and balance, but more importantly, a state as significant as New York needs someone to redefine its voice in the upper chamber. If Schumer isn’t going anywhere this year, then he would be better complemented by someone who is visible across the state and would be a go-to point of contact for federal issues, as Gillibrand is decidedly not.
The Messenger endorses Sapraicone.
