Blue State Blues: New York's Hidden Republican Strength

Liberal professor and Republican strategist reveal surprising support for Republicans and dissatisfaction with Democrats in New York, potentially threatening Biden's base.

Traditionally considered a Democratic stronghold, New York may surprise many with its substantial Republican presence and growing dissatisfaction among Democrats. Liberal professor Christina Greer of City College of New York and Republican strategist Susan Del Percio agree that former President Trump and the GOP are capitalizing on this discontent.

"There are far more Republicans and dissatisfied Democrats in New York than we'd like to admit," Greer asserts. She cites the surprisingly strong support for Republican Lee Zeldin in the 2022 gubernatorial race as evidence.

Greer goes further, suggesting that New York may not be the blue stronghold many believe it to be. "All states are red states, we just have blue cities in red states," she says. "New York is the reason why Joe Biden didn't have a unified government in 2022. We're the ones who lost the four members of the house who went over to the Republican Party."

Del Percio supports Greer's assessment, pointing to the election of a Republican to the New York City Council in the Bronx, a traditionally Democratic stronghold. She notes that Trump performed better in the Bronx in 2020 than in 2016, while Biden fared worse in New York City than Clinton in 2016.

Trump's recent visit to the South Bronx is seen by Greer as a strategic move to suppress the vote among Black male voters, who tend to be more receptive to Republican messaging than Black female voters. "The strategy is to get them to abstain from voting for anyone on the top," she says.

According to Greer, Biden needs to make a stronger case to Black and Latino voters, especially Black male voters, who have been disillusioned with the Democratic Party's leadership. She believes that this is a key factor in Trump's Bronx rally, as he attempts to capitalize on this discontent.

Del Percio agrees that Democrats need to address the concerns of these voters if they want to increase turnout in swing states. "The narrative that's out there, that these communities are not getting the attention that they probably should get from the Democrats if they want to increase turnout is very significant," she says.

The Republican inroads in New York serve as a cautionary tale for Democrats. If they fail to address the dissatisfaction among their base, they risk losing support in key states, potentially jeopardizing their hold on the presidency and Congress. Blue states may not be as blue as they seem, and the GOP is poised to make further gains in unexpected places.