The Conservative Party of New York recorded its highest presidential vote total in more than 50 years—and its second highest ever—during last month’s election, where the party endorsed Republican Donald Trump. This performance was exceeded only by Richard Nixon’s 1972 showing on the party’s ballot line.
“Monday’s vote certification by the New York State Board of Elections confirms that President Donald Trump received more votes on the New York State Conservative Party line for President than any other presidential candidate since 1972,” said New York State Conservative Party Chairman Gerard Kassar in a statement last week.
According to certified election results, Donald Trump, who was endorsed by the Conservative Party of New York alongside running as the Republican nominee, received 321,733 votes on the party’s ballot line in the state. This marks an increase from his previous totals of 296,335 votes in the 2020 presidential election and 292,392 votes in 2016. The Conservative Party’s highest presidential showing remains the 1972 election, when incumbent Republican President Richard Nixon received 368,136 votes on its line.
“President-elect Donald Trump knocked it out of the park on the Conservative Party line in New York,” Kassar added. “His vote tallies are the second, third, and fourth highest vote tallies in our 62-year history, and that’s pretty extraordinary.”
In addition to Trump’s notable performance, the Conservative Party added that the 2024 vote total more than doubles its current statewide voter registration, which stands at 158,797 members. A previous analysis published last month found that 73% of the party’s membership turned out to participate in the election, making it the second-highest engaged electorate behind the Republican Party with 74%.
Of course, but since 1972 sounds better than since 1984.
The Conservative Party’s press release should have used percentages, not votes, because obviously the population is growing. In 2024 the party got 3.89% for president, but it got higher percentages in 1972 (5.14%), 1976 (4.21%), 1980 (4.13%), and 1984 (4.24%).
Fusionism works!
Good for them, I guess, but it’s a lot less impressive when you recall that starting with 1968 the Conservative Party of NY has never once failed to co-nominate the GOP presidential candidate, no matter how unconservative they were, e.g. Romney… Unless it would be guaranteed to cost them their ballot access, it would be nice if they tried nominating independently from the Republicans for a change. Otherwise, they might as well just become an NY GOP caucus.