GOP NYS Pres Primary: Trump, Kasich Battle In Brooklyn, Cruz AWOL

Republican U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump talks to the media in the “spin room” after the Republican U.S. presidential candidates debate sponsored by ABC News at Saint Anselm College in Manchester
Republican U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump talks to the media in the “spin room” after the Republican U.S. presidential candidates debate sponsored by ABC News at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire February 6, 2016. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri – RTX25SY1

The Republican New York State Presidential Primary is looking more and more like a two-man show between businessman Donald Trump and Ohio Governor John Kasich, as Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who spent the past two days campaigning in California,  appears to have conceded the state.

In Brooklyn, an enthusiastic crowd of Republican supporters of Trump filled a local meeting hall late last week for a joint meeting of the Southern Tier of Brooklyn Republican Coalition consisting of several Southern Brooklyn Assembly Districts.

Attending this meeting were Republican District Leaders of the 46 Assembly District, LucretiaRegina-Potter and Anthony Bove, Phyllis Carbo and Ronald D’Angelo of the 47 Assembly District, Stephen Maresca of the 49th Assembly District, and Joan Braunstein, former 45 Assembly District Leader and current President of the  Brooklyn Republican Women Organization. Presiding over the meeting was former Assemblyman Arnaldo A. Ferraro, chairman, and founder of the Fiorello LaGuardia Republican Organization, and the Kings County Republican Party Chairman.

The standing room only crowd was interested in hearing from other participants about how they personally knew the Trump family as the Trumps were constructing many of the buildings that dot the Southern Brooklyn shoreline, namely Trump Village. The highlight of the evening was a live update from Michael Rubino, the Northeast Regional Campaign Manager for Trump for President.
Rubino thanked all the people present at the meeting on behalf of Trump, and strongly urged them to get out the vote on April 19. Many of the attendees volunteered to help with the Trump campaign and received Trump literature.
Information about voting procedures and other details about the upcoming Presidential Primary election were discussed following a question and answer session, and all enjoyed light refreshments. This very successful meeting confirmed that where there is unity, there is strength in the Brooklyn Republican Party.

Meanwhile, Kasich Campaign Manger Beth Hansen put out an email stating that a contested convention is likely and that if Trump is stopped on the first ballot, Kasich is in position to overtake both Trump and Cruz on subsequent ballots.

“We’re confident that Republicans are starting to wake up to the fact that a Trump/Cruz nomination would not only result in a Hillary win, but likely also the loss of the majority in the U.S. Senate. We cannot allow that to happen,” wrote Hansen.

While Hansen acknowledged that Trump has a commanding lead in New York, Kasich is running hard for a strong second place finish in the state, which will garner the candidate more delegates as they are awarded proportionally by congressional districts.

Kasich will be in Borough Park tomorrow and KCP will be there to bring you the latest.