GOP congressman Lee Zeldin faces an uphill battle against the entrenched Democrat establishment apparatus to win the New York governorship, but he is reportedly receiving some key endorsements from members of that party.

Out-of-control violent crime, particularly in New York City, which has been made far worse by so-called bail reform implemented by Democrats controlling the Empire State that results in catch and release even for recidivists, is apparently one of the prime motivators for cross-party support.

John Orlando, president of an Brooklyn-based organization called New Era Democrats which even backed Bill de Blasio, the failed progressive Gotham mayor, said: “We have a Democratic machine that has gone far too left – too extreme for even those moderate Democrats,” the New York Post reported on Monday.

Another Democrat, former city councilman Ruben Diaz, Sr., added when Zeldin made an appearance at his Bronx church, “Lee is my candidate. He’s against crime. Hochul’s for crime. She refused to make any major changes to the bail law.”