New York Rep. Dan Donovan on Tuesday was racking up another endorsement for his re-election bid — this time, from the police officer's union.
But that celebration could be short-lived.
Moments later, the congressman was busy downplaying a new NY1/Siena College exclusive poll, which showed his rival, Michael Grimm, is 10 percentage points ahead in the race.
"More than half your poll was taken before the president endorsed me, and every poll in America had President Trump losing," Donovan said to me. "So polls serve a purpose for some people. The only poll that really matters is the one that happens on June 26."
"Our internal numbers right now are holding it around 12, so I was expecting those numbers. But the one concern I have is this is a primary. So it's going to be a very low turnout," Grimm said. "I don't want people getting complacent and thinking, 'It's in the bag, I don't need to vote.'"
The former congressman-turned-outsider-insurgent seems confident in his lead, dismissing his opponent's labor endorsement that morning.
"I've never known of the PBA [Patrolmen's Benevolent Association] to ever go outside of the establishment candidate, so that's let's just say baked into the cake," Grimm said.
Donovan said the race is far from over, and he has one major advantage: President Trump endorsed him last Wednesday.
"There is a whole litany of lies that my opponent's been running his campaign on about me, and I think the president has begun to tell people, 'Those things aren't true. This is what Dan Donovan is about,'" said the representative for New York's 11th congressional district. "I need him to help our agenda. I need him to help me make America great again."
One reason why some say Grimm is ahead is because he shows up to everything. For example, he appeared at an education rally on Staten Island on Tuesday, although he did not speak at the event. Grimm simply watched on the sidelines.
Who knows how long he will be there.
