This week, the DCCC launched ads holding Congressman Lee Zeldin accountable for the promises he made as a candidate and Congressman and further reminding him that there’s a much better alternative than life as a vulnerable Republican in the minority: life in retirement.
These personalized ads, geo-targeted to Congressman Zeldin’s district come one week after the DCCC added Zeldin to the Retirement Watch List. His addition to the Retirement Watch List came after 7 Republicans announced they’d retire in the span of just two weeks.
And Zeldin has more reason than most to retire, just ask Lee Zeldin. As a candidate, Rep. Lee Zeldin ran for Congress on the promise of creating term limits of three terms for members of the House and since taking office, he has pushed legislation to enshrine these term limits in the Constitution.
REMINDER: This is Zeldin’s third term in office. If he chooses not to retire, Zeldin will be running for his fourth term, which his own legislation and promises would ban.
“’Term Limit Tim’ was Lee Zeldin’s battle cry as a candidate and later as a Congressman, Lee Zeldin pushed legislation to write into law his belief that three terms is plenty for House Members,” said DCCC Spokesperson Christine Bennett. “This is the Congressman’s third term in office and we intend to hold him accountable for a promise he made to Long Islanders all the way back in… 2014. Lee Zeldin is in Washington on borrowed time and if he thinks Long Islanders will miss that he’s going back on his word, that time is running out.”
BACKGROUND
Zeldin Signed The U.S. Term Limits Amendment Pledge To Cosponsor And Vote To Limit House Members To Three Terms, Senate Members To Two Terms. “U.S. Term Limits (USTL), the leader in the national movement to limit terms for elected officials, praised U.S. House Candidate (NY-1) Lee Zeldin for promising to support and cosponsor an amendment to the U.S. Constitution limiting congressional terms. Blumel commented on Zeldin’s pledge, saying, ‘Zeldin’s signature is a victory for the people of his district.’ The U.S. Term Limits Amendment Pledge is provided to every announced candidate for federal office. It reads, ‘I pledge that as a member of Congress I will cosponsor and vote for the U.S. Term Limits amendment of three (3) House terms and two (2) Senate terms and no longer limit.’” [U.S. Term Limits Press Release, 7/22/14]
Zeldin Ran Ads Calling On Voters To “Term Limit Tim” In His First Congressional Race Against Tim Bishop. “‘State Sen. Lee Zeldin (R) released a TV ad calling on voters to ‘term limit Tim,’ referring to Rep. Tim Bishop (D). ‘You can’t keep reelecting the same people over and over again and ever expect a different result,’ Zeldin says in the ad.” [The Hotline, 10/18/14]
2019: Zeldin Was An Original Cosponsor Of A Joint Resolution To Create A Term Limit Of Three Terms For Members Of The House Of Representatives. “This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment limiting Members of the House of Representatives to three terms and Members of the Senate to two terms. Terms beginning before the ratification of this article do not count towards term limits.” [H.J.Res.20, 1/3/19]
Zeldin Reiterated His Support For Term Limits In 2016. “As someone who is supportive of term limits, I believe it is important to waste zero time getting goals across the finish line once elected to office. The key is to identify solutions quickly, build relationships, make bold asks, and go all in when necessary to turn an idea into a win.” [Congressman Lee Zeldin press release, 7/25/16]
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