Source: Politics<\/p>\n
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis irked an influential New York Republican after his presidential campaign failed to coordinate a Rockland County fundraiser with the local party leader.<\/p>\n
The suburban county\u2019s GOP Chair Lawrence Garvey told POLITICO he got no heads up from the DeSantis campaign before it sent out a flier for a $6,600-a-person June 29 fundraiser with \u201cmajor business leaders\u201d at the Crowne Plaza<\/a> in Suffern.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Republican Party is a big tent and we\u2019re always honored to have national figures come to Rockland County. At the same time there\u2019s courtesies and protocols involved,\u201d Garvey said.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile we understand communication can sometimes be difficult, we nevertheless think that communication is necessary,\u201d Garvey continued, adding that he was \u201cdisappointed\u201d when he didn\u2019t get an apology for the slight.<\/p>\n A DeSantis campaign rep did not return messages. The campaign moved the fundraiser to a more private venue after Democratic groups planned to protest the event, according to a person familiar with the event.<\/p>\n The original venue is part of first-term Republican Rep. Mike Lawler\u2019s 17th Congressional district, which is a key target for Democrats and their plan to retake the House in 2024.<\/p>\n Lawler, like most of the Republican congressional delegation from New York, has not said who he\u2019ll back to challenge President Joe Biden. A spokesperson for the congressman did not comment. <\/p>\n This week\u2019s Siena Poll found 61 percent of New York Republicans would vote for Donald Trump if the primary happened now. If Trump wasn\u2019t the nominee, DeSantis would the next favorite pick by a wide margin.<\/p>\n \u201cSome people really like him,\u201d a New York Republican official said. \u201c\u2018He\u2019s Trump-ish without the baggage,\u2019 is the general feel.\u201d<\/p>\n That official said he wouldn\u2019t expect the state\u2019s congressional Republicans to start endorsing until at least this fall. \u201cIt\u2019s a tough game,\u201d he said. \u201cYou want to be in early, but you don\u2019t want to be wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n DeSantis is also scheduled to collect donations at a Yale Club event in Manhattan on Thursday.<\/p>\n The luncheon, another $6,600-a-plate affair, is hosted by some GOP throwbacks like William Heyman \u2014 an executive at Travelers who was nominated to a New York Fed advisory committee by then-President George W. Bush \u2014 and Buffalo real estate executive Nick Sinatra, who was a political director at the Bush White House.<\/p>\n A version of this initially appeared in the June 29 edition of New York Playbook<\/a>.<\/p>\n