Poll: Ex-GOP lawmaker who pleaded guilty to felony leads Trump-backed candidate in NY
Former Rep. Michael Grimm (N.Y.) is leading the GOP primary for his old seat against Trump-endorsed incumbent Rep. Dan Donovan (N.Y.) by 10 points, according to a Sienna College poll released on Monday.
Forty-seven percent of voters in the survey said they would vote for Grimm in the June 26 primary, while only 37 percent of voters said they would vote for Donovan.
The candidates have comparable favorability ratings in a district that views Trump overwhelmingly favorably.
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Trump endorsed Donovan for New York’s 11th District in a tweet last month, saying there was no better person to represent Staten Island, despite Grimm’s efforts to tie himself to the administration.
There is no one better to represent the people of N.Y. and Staten Island (a place I know very well) than @RepDanDonovan, who is strong on Borders & Crime, loves our Military & our Vets, voted for Tax Cuts and is helping me to Make America Great Again. Dan has my full endorsement!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 30, 2018
Grimm slammed Donovan minutes after the endorsement.
All the endorsements in the world can’t change the facts: Donovan has failed to pass even one substantive bill into law, and has voted against President TrumpDonald John TrumpSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote Warren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases Esper orders ‘After Action Review’ of National Guard’s role in protests MORE every time it’s mattered – from failing to repeal Obamacare, to banning sanctuary cities, and even against tax cuts.
— Michael Grimm (@RealMGrimm) May 30, 2018
Grimm completed an eight-month prison sentence in 2016 after he was convicted of tax fraud.
He resigned from Congress in 2014 after he was charged with felony tax evasion.
Grimm was hit with a 20-count indictment in 2014 after prosecutors argued that Grimm did not report $1 million from his Manhattan restaurant business, Healthalicious, which he co-owned before winning the election in 2010.
He pleaded guilty to one count in a deal to keep the rest of the case from going to trial.
Grimm also threatened to throw a reporter over a balcony in 2014 when he was asked about the tax fraud allegations.
The Sienna College survey was conducted on May 29-June 3 among 513 likely voters. It has a margin of error of 4.3 percentage points.
Grimm touted the results in a Monday press release.
“I have full faith that the voters of Staten Island and Brooklyn know that I have their back. They know I love them like my own family, and I fight on their behalf. I’ve done it before, and will do it again when I’m their Congressman in 2019,” he said.
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