Trump plans Long Island rally in deep blue New York

NEW YORK — Former President Donald Trump has announced plans for a campaign rally at the Nassau Coliseum on Long Island on Wednesday.

Republicans says Trump will appear at the arena in Uniondale to rally his supporters in the metro New York area and to boost Republican congressional candidates.

But with the presidential race effectively deadlocked, political strategists on both sides of the aisle are scratching their heads about Trump’s decision to spend valuable time and resources in a state that is not even close to being in play in the November presidential election against Democratic nominee Kamala Harris.

Trump was set to address a rally in swing state Arizona on Thursday and in Nevada on Friday, two states that polls say are up for grabs in November. He’s also planning a Friday press conference in suburban Los Angeles, another puzzling location choice.

Harris planned to address two rallies in North Carolina Thursday and one in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania on Friday. She has only appeared at one rally outside the battleground states in the month and a half since she launched her campaign: a speech on her economic plan in New Hampshire.

With just 50-some days to go before Election Day and mail-in ballots going out to voters in some states soon, both campaigns would be expected to be laser focused on the seven battleground states that will likely determine the winner of the White House, possibly by a margin of just tens of thousands of votes.

White House politics aside, the planned Trump rally has the potential to impact the four congressional races on Long Island. Three of the seats are held by GOP lawmakers while Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi holds the fourth after winning a February special election.

GOP freshman Rep. Anthony D’Esposito, who is seeking a second term in the NY-04 district that voted for President Joe Biden by more than 10% in 2020, says he looks forward to welcoming Trump to his district.

“This year’s red wave will reach its greatest height right here on the South Shore,” D’Esposito said in a statement about Trump’s rally.

But Democratic challenger Laura Gillen suggested Trump’s appearance in the suburban district could backfire by turning away moderate swing voters, especially after Trump boosted an unfounded racist conspiracy theory accusing Haitian immigrants of eating pets.

“Our Haitian neighbors here in Nassau County … should be celebrated — not ostracized and slandered,” Gillen said in a statement. “If Anthony D’Esposito chooses to stand with Trump, he’s standing against his constituents.”

Suozzi declined to comment to the News on Trump’s visit.

Nassau County Democratic chairman Jay Jacobs, who doubles as the state party chairman, said Democrats are happy to see Republicans standing shoulder to shoulder next to Trump, who lost New York state to Biden by a 23% margin and lost Nassau County by 10%.

“That is a picture I want every Long Island voter to see,” Jacobs said.