Queens County Republican Party

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Queens Republican Party
ChairmanTony Nunziato[1]
IdeologyConservatism
National affiliationRepublican Party
Regional affiliationNew York Republican State Committee
Colors  Red
New York State Assembly (Queens Seats)
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New York State Senate (Queens Seats)
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Citywide Executive Offices
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New York City Council (Queens Seats)
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United States House of Representatives (Queens Seats)
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United States Senate (New York Seats)
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Website
queenscountygop.com

The Queens County Republican Party also known as the Queens Republican Party, Queens GOP or simply as Queens Republicans, is a regional affiliate of the United States Republican Party for the borough of Queens in New York City, New York.

Leadership[edit]

Like all county parties in the New York Republican State Committee, the Queens County Republican Party maintains a Queens County Republican Committee, however, does not have an executive branch, instead the chairman of the committee is the chairman of the party.[1]

The current chairman is Tony Nunziato.[1]

History[edit]

On June 25, 2014, longtime chairman Phil Ragusa died in office at the age of 74 from Leukemia.[2]

Malcolm Smith bribery scandal[edit]

On April 2, 2013, the party's vice-chairman, Vincent Tabone, pleaded guilty to accepting a bribe for the Queens Republican Party to endorse Democrat Malcolm Smith so that he could appear as a Republican on the ballot for the 2013 New York City mayoral election. Tabone was placed under additional scruity compared to the others arrested, due to the fact he was on the payroll of John Catsimatidis, both as an attorney for his grocery store, and as a campaign advisor, earning hundreds of thousands of dollars a year from Catsimatidis. He was also caught on with a wiretap by the FBI saying "I run the Queens County Republican Party," he told an undercover informant. "Nobody else runs the party."[3]

2017 election[edit]

Main article: 2017 New York City Council election

During the 2017 New York City Council election, the Queens Republican party narrowly won an upset with Robert Holden flipping a Democratic Seat during what The New York Times assessed should've been a wave year for the Democratic party.[4] Holden's victory, despite running on the behalf of the Queens Republican Party, and appearing as a Republican on the ballot, did not result in a change to the city council's composition, as Holden would caucus as a Democrat, the party for which he is personally registered as.[5] This contributed to the growing distrust between the party's leadership and pro-Trump party members, who decried the nomination of Holden.[6]

2018 election[edit]

Main article: 2018 New York State Senate election

During the 2018 New York State Senate election there was an insurgency in the party over the candidacy for the 11th district. The party endorsed and supported Simon Minching over Vickie Paladino, who decried the bias stating the party should not endorse a candidate until after the primaries. Paladino claimed that the party was scared of her over her publicity, which she gained by personally flying to Germany to berate mayor Bill De Blasio at a protest after a NYPD cop was killed. Paladino would win the primary, but lose in the general election, due a split ballot with Tony Avella.[7]

2019 party infighting[edit]

Since the election of Donald Trump in the 2016 United States presidential election, the Queens Republican Party has had a dicey relationship with Trump and his policies. Most of the party's executives and committee members are part of the Never Trump movement, which has allowed them to continue to count on the votes of moderate and centrist democrats and independents in elections. However, the more active campaigners, district leaders, and neighborhood organizers, are adamantly pro-Trump, and have been leading an insurgency against party leadership which came to a head in 2019 when the sought to challenge chairwoman Joann Ariola in a leadership election. The effort would fail as the Republican Patriot faction failed to gather the 500 signatures needed for the vote, getting only 452.[8]

2020 election[edit]

During the 2020 election for Queens County District Attorney, and Borough President, serious fractures would emerge in the party. The first would be between the more liberal party leadership, led by Joann Ariola, who nominated Joe Murray, a registered Democrat, for DA.[9] Ariola argued that if the party sought to win a significant number of seats in the future, they would need to attract more voters, and moderate Democrats uncomfortable with their party's progressive bent would be their prime demographic to shift.[10] The party has also sought to improve their presence in the Boroughs Asian-American and Caribbean-American population as opposed to its largely white voter base.[11] In order to mend the divide, Ariola promised to not run for Borough President, or Eric Ulrich's sole republican seat in the city council. The Republicans would lose both the Borough President and DA race.[12]

During the 2020 United States presidential election, the party's sole elected official, Eric Ulrich, a member of the Never Trump movement, gained headlines when he reversed on his position and stated that he would be voting for Trump in the election. His district, and the borough as a whole, has been a hotbed of the movement, and he stated that the fact he wasn't up for re-election was one of the factors for his reversal.[13]

2021 election[edit]

Main article: 2021 New York City Council election

Going into the 2021 New York City Council election, the Queens County Republican Party had only a single seat, the 32nd district, being held by Eric Ulrich who was barred from running again due to term limits. Joann Ariola, the Queens County Republican chairwoman announced that she would be running for the seat to keep it in Republican hands after previously promising not to do so, arguing that there was not suitable candidate besides herself. The 32nd district has been described as one of the "loneliest" in the city council by The New York Times, due to it being one of just two held by Republicans that wasn't in Staten Island.[14][15] Ariola faced off against a far left progressive candidate Felicia Singh, a middle school teacher, who sought to represent the districts 65.8% non-white population and Kenichi Wilson, an independent.[16]

During the election, the Queens County Republican Party maintained a Socially Liberal party line, angering many of the more conservative members of the party. When the party establishment refused calls to back election reform to increase transparency, the insurgents split to form the Queens County Republican Patriots, led by Daniel Maio, and ran their own slate of candidates. However, the Queens Supreme Court would strike down their candidates, due to them filing past the deadline.[17]

The party's candidate for the 24th district, Philip Grillo, was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation due to his role in the January 6 United States Capitol attack and was released on a $100,000 bond. The move shocked the party's leadership, as Grillo was an active member of the party's moderate wing, and worked with Eric Ulrich to “push back against the kooky wing of the party.”[18]

2022 election[edit]

Main articles: 2022 United States House of Representatives elections in New York and George Santos

During the 2022 United States House of Representatives elections in New York, George Santos was elected to the 3rd district, representing parts of Queens, and Nassau counties. However, it would be revealed after the election that Santos made false biographical statements. Chairman Tony Nunziato would not join with his Nassau county counterparts to demand Santos' resignation, instead stating "Show me that he did something illegal", insisting that he will not call for Santos' resignation until criminal prosecution was brought against him.[19] Nunziato recommended that Santos run for the seat, albeit "not enthusiastically."[20][21]

However, one of the party's councilwomen and former chairwomen, Joann Ariola, would join the calls for his resignation, stating that "he should resign so that we can continue to move forward." Meanwhile, Vickie Paladino, whose council district overlaps with Santos' section of Queens, has refrained from commenting on resignation, but stated the false biography was "disappointing."[22]

2023 election[edit]

Main article: 2023 New York City Council election

Councilwoman Vickie Paladino is facing a concerted Democratic challenge for her seat, with the Queens County Democratic Party sinking most of their camping resources in unseating her. One of the candidates is Tony Avella, who split the ballot of her failed 2018 New York State Senate election bid, and is once again hoping to draw moderate Republicans away from her.[23]

Elected officials[edit]

In 2021, the party has 139,385 registered voters to the Democrats 807,187.[11]

The last Republican Borough President was James A. Lundy from 1952 to 1957. The last Republican District Attorney was Nat Hentel in 1966.[11]

The Party currently has 3 elected members to the New York City Council:

The party currently holds none of the 6 House of Representatives seats in Queens following the removal of George Santos on December 1, 2023.[24]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c "FAQ". queenscountygop.com. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  2. ^ Mastrosimone, Peter C. (25 June 2014). "Queens GOP Chairman Phil Ragusa dies at 74". Queens Chronicle. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  3. ^ Colangelo, Lisa L.; Katz, Celeste; McShane, Larry (4 April 2013). "Queens Republican Vice Chairman Vincent Tabone had a 'duplicitous' reputation before bribe charge". New York Daily News. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  4. ^ Goodman, J. David (10 November 2017). "As Democrats Celebrate Wins, Queens Republicans Close In on an Upset". The New York Times. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  5. ^ Goodman, J. David (16 November 2017). "Democratic Incumbent Loses Council Seat in Queens After Bitter Race". The New York Times. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  6. ^ Barca, Christopher (28 September 2017). "Queens GOP gives Bob Holden the Republican line in Council race". Queens Chronicle. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  7. ^ Brady, Ryan (2 August 2018). "Insurgent Paladino at war with Queens GOP". Queens Chronicle. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  8. ^ Shain, Michael (9 May 2019). "GOP insurgents vie for party control". Queens Chronicle. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  9. ^ Ramey, Corinne; Honan, Katie (26 August 2019). "Republican Party Chooses Ex-NYPD Officer to Run for Queens District Attorney". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  10. ^ Brand, David (4 November 2019). "Fractured Queens GOP, 'in desperate shape,' limps into DA election". Queens Daily Eagle. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  11. ^ a b c Penner, Larry (30 July 2021). "Queens GOP: Yesterday, Today, But Is There A Tomorrow?". The Wave of Long Island. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  12. ^ Brand, David (15 September 2020). "Newly cohesive Queens GOP heads into November election". Queens Daily Eagle. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  13. ^ Brand, David (15 September 2020). "Former 'Never Trump' Queens Republican is backing the president this November". Queens Daily Eagle. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  14. ^ Kilgannon, Corey (7 May 2021). "And Then There Was One: G.O.P. Defends Its Last Seat in Queens". The New York Times. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  15. ^ Brand, David (27 January 2021). "Queens GOP leader runs to keep conservative-controlled council seat red". Queens Daily Eagle. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  16. ^ Khurshid, Samar; Silbergeld, Kira (27 August 2021). "GOP County Chair vs Progressive Educator as Republicans Try to Hold Lone City Council Seat in Queens". Gotham Gazette. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  17. ^ Kaye, Jacob (17 June 2021). "County GOP wins bid to knock off rival Republican party – kind of". Queens Daily Eagle. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  18. ^ Brand, David (23 February 2021). "Queens Republican district leader arrested for role in Capitol insurrection". Queens Daily Eagle. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  19. ^ Marshall, Ethan; Bonfiglio, Briana (11 January 2023). "'Show me that he did something illegal': Queens County GOP chairman says he won't be calling for Santos to resign". qns.com. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  20. ^ Paybarah, Azi (11 January 2023). "Rep. George Santos faces calls to resign from fellow N.Y. Republicans". The Washington Post. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  21. ^ Chu, Haidee (10 May 2023). "Queens GOP Chair Stands By George Santos Following Indictment and Arrest". The City. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  22. ^ Kaye, Jacob (24 January 2023). "Queens GOP heavyweight calls on Santos to step down". Queens Daily Eagle. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  23. ^ Ngo, Emily (10 June 2023). "Three Democrats compete in northeast Queens to take on GOP City Council incumbent". NY1. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  24. ^ "A Brief History of House Expulsions: Traitors, Felons and, Now, Santos". The New York Times. December 1, 2023. Retrieved December 2, 2023.
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