The New York Republican Party is tearing itself apart in the wake of a devastating blue wave. Anthony Constantino, the MAGA-aligned candidate who won his North Country congressional seat, didn’t mince words about the organization that tried to stop him. He posted on social media that the state party has become a disaster that actively helps Democrats win elections.
Constantino’s anger stems from a primary where the party establishment opposed him, forcing him to spend $17 million of his own money to secure the nomination. Now that he is leading his Democratic opponent, he claims the party’s dysfunction cost him a landslide victory. His comments have ignited a firestorm among Republicans who feel the party has been useless for decades.
A Party in Revolt
The backlash isn’t limited to one angry candidate. Constantino specifically targeted Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman in his rant. He wrote, “Even Bruce Blakeman was in on the con. He just wandered around like a headless chicken going from stupid dinner to stupid dinner and charming the ‘party’ while ignoring the people.” Blakeman suffered a massive defeat on Tuesday, losing to Governor Kathy Hochul by about 20 points.
Other prominent figures are echoing the sentiment that the party is broken beyond repair. Marc Molinaro, a former Republican congressmember returning to the state Assembly, called the election results a brutal defeat. “This was an ass-whipping. It just was,” Molinaro said, according to Gothamist. While he disagreed with Constantino’s profanity, he agreed that the leadership needs to go. Molinaro noted, “I don’t make it personal, but there needs to be change.”
Demands for a Total Overhaul
Stefano Forte, who heads the New York Young Republicans Club, demanded the complete dismantling of the existing leadership structure. He argued that the party is run by people who care more about themselves than voters. “The New York GOP needs to be gutted and completely replaced,” Forte said. He added, “We have ineffective grifters who are in control of the party right now, and we should be ashamed of the results that just came out of this election.”
Forte noted that many of his friends, who were big Trump supporters, stayed home during this election cycle because they had lost faith in the local GOP. The data supports their frustration. The last time a Republican won a statewide office in New York was in 2002. It has been 25 years since the party fielded a viable candidate for New York City mayor. Even the gains made four years ago in Long Island were quickly wiped out by Tuesday’s results.
With Governor Kathy Hochul winning a landslide and former City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams set to become the state’s first Black female lieutenant governor, the political picture has shifted dramatically. Hakeem Jeffries is also poised to become the first Black Speaker of the House when Congress convenes in January. The Republicans in New York face an existential crisis as they try to figure out how to survive in a state that has turned decisively blue.
State Committee Chairman Ed Cox faces calls from Constantino to be removed, paving the way for a fierce internal conflict. The party must decide if it will listen to the angry base or continue down the path of the “ineffective grifters” Forte described. The next few months will determine if the New York GOP can rebuild or if it will remain a footnote in state politics.
This is opinion and commentary from the RapForMayor team.
