Last week, I attended a political campaign fundraiser at Trump Tower for the Republican congressional candidate, Michael Zumbluskas, who is running again Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, Democrat Rep. Jerrold Nadler (NY-12).
Nadler, one of former President Donald Trump's biggest foes in the House, has been facing increased criticism for neglecting critical issues facing his district and even some mockery for repeatedly falling asleep during important Congressional hearings.
His old nemesis, Trump, is currently surging ahead in the national polls against Vice President Kamala Harris, in his attempt to return to the White House on Election Day.
Over 30 attendees packed the basement-level restaurant at the tower, including former NYC Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Silwa, Brooklyn Republican N.Y. State Assemblyman Lester Chang, N.Y. County GOP Vice-Chair Robert Morgan III, and other dignitaries, donors, and guests. Guests and speakers freely mingled and exchanged their contacts over drinks at the Oct. 15 fundraiser, in one of the most guarded commercial buildings in New York.
This is Zumbluskas' second run for Congress, after he ran against Nadler last time for New York's 12th Congressional District in 2022. The Republican challenger is hoping that a Trump-led populist wave will give him the edge against the aging incumbent Congressman in this latest rematch.
Zumbluskas is an employee of the NYC Department of Transportation, a U.S. Army veteran, local policy wonk, and a longtime resident of Manhattan's Upper East Side.
Credited to Bryan Jung/PJ Media
"This campaign is teaching me a lot of things," Nathaniel Gavronsky, Zumbluskas's campaign manager and a veteran of the 2016 Trump Campaign, told PJ Media.
Gavronsky, who was also emceeing the event, explained that many of Nadler's constituents with whom he has spoken are longing for a change. "Jerry Nadler is really not all that well-liked. People are looking for someone who is more in touch with the issues they are dealing with and problems they want solved," he noted.
"Michael Zumbluskas is someone who has actually had real jobs, and in his current job has saved the City of New York taxpayers millions of dollars. It's time for a change in New York," Gavronsky added.
Silwa, who is widely expected to run again for Mayor in 2025, gave the first speech at the event, slamming the current mayor, Eric Adams. The leader of the Guardian Angels said that he had warned about Adams' prior reputation for corruption and that the city is now suffering for it.
Chang gave the second speech of the evening and shouted out his support to Zumbluskas, a fellow veteran, while going on to describe his own reelection campaign this year.
“I fully endorse and support Mike Zumbluskas for Congress. He understands the needs and requirements of his local constituents. Mike is a long-term dedicated public servant working for NYC and served his country as an army veteran. Once elected, I trust he will continue to serve his fellow New Yorkers well," Chang told PJ Media.
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After a long introduction by his campaign manager, Zumbluskas gave a speech in support of Trump's grassroots populist policies that applied to working people in his district and described how the Democrats have abandoned them.
Towards the end of the two-hour event, a rather satisfied Zumluskas told PJ Media, "This event is a showcase on how well our message is getting out there. The Trump Team was very gracious for giving us this space and allowing us to have our event here."
"We all had a great time, and we got to hear my other fellow candidates talk as well. Republicans are now gaining ground in NYC because people are tired of living in Gotham City and want to return to the Metropolis that they remember under Rudy Giuliani and Michael Bloomberg," he continued.
Zumbluskas said that he will be attending Trump's rally at Madison Square Garden on Oct. 27 and plans to hold another event at Trump Tower in the future.
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