Trump says he's 'most popular person' in upstate NY

ALBANY - Donald Trump expects to win Republican nomination for president, and he predicted that upstate New York would help him beat Hillary Clinton in November.

And why not, according to Trump: He says he's the most popular person in upstate New York — possibly ever.

"Upstate New York, I’m like the most popular person that’s ever lived, virtually," Trump, the New York City billionaire and GOP presidential frontrunner, said on CNN on Sunday. "They are great friends of mine. We will do very well in New York. I don’t know. Maybe win it, maybe not, but we’re going to come awfully close of winning it. I think I have a great chance."

Trump has a sizable footprint through the Hudson Valley. He owns Trump National Golf Club, Hudson Valley, in Stormville, and has had a Hopewell Junction man at his side for much of the campaign to win the Republican nomination for president; Dan Scavino is Trump's director of social media. Trump has built relationships over the years with other locals, and Trump family members also own property locally. He also has a state park named after him — which now is a point of contention.

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And Trump toured upstate in 2014 as he toyed with a run for governor, ripping Gov. Andrew Cuomo for his policies and attending an Albany rally in opposition to New York's gun-control law, the SAFE Act. He decided not to run.

A Siena College poll earlier this month said 55 percent of New York Democrats backed Clinton, who lives in Chappaqua, Westchester County, for president on the Democratic side, while Trump came out on top on the GOP side.

Trump had the support from 34 percent of New York Republicans polled compared with 16 percent each for Sens. Ted Cruz, of Texas, and Marco Rubio, of Florida, the poll found. New York's presidential primary is April 19.

But the poll also found that Trump had a low favorability rating: Just 25 percent of New York voters viewed him favorably, compared with 71 percent who view him unfavorably. In upstate, he was slightly more liked: 66 percent unfavorable to 28 percent favorable.

Among Republicans, Trump had a 51 percent favorable, 43 percent unfavorable rating.

Trump, fresh off his Saturday win in South Carolina, said he expects states like New York and Michigan to be in play if he's the nominee versus Clinton, who he predicted would beat Bernie Sanders for the Democratic nomination.

"I will win places like Michigan that people don’t even talk about," Trump said on CNN. "I will have a chance of winning New York. If I win New York, the election is over, OK, from an Electoral College standpoint."

Just to have New York in the conversation as a competitive state would be an accomplishment. Ronald Reagan was the last Republican to win the heavily blue New York in a presidential race. That was in 1984.

In New York, Clinton led 57 percent to 32 percent against Trump, the poll showed. Sanders would beat Trump even more: 63 percent to 30 percent, Siena said.

Assemblyman Bill Nojay, R-Pittsford, Monroe County, is helping to lead Trump's efforts in New York, saying he's confident Trump could win New York.

Trump would need a large victory upstate and get about 30 percent of the vote in New York City — and no Republican since Gov. George Pataki won a third term in 2002 has been able to pull off the winning recipe.

Nojay pointed to Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, who won upstate in 2014 against Gov. Andrew Cuomo but lost New York City and its suburbs, ultimately losing the election..

"If Rob Astorino can win upstate in a gubernatorial race in which he had no name ID and no money, Donald Trump will certainly win upstate," Nojay said, adding Trump would also do well in the city.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said Trump could win, but "I don’t think he will. I think the Democratic nominee will be Hillary Clinton. I think Hillary Clinton will beat him for a number of reasons. I think she’s talking much more about what to do about income inequality. I think she has the clearest platform and vision for change."

He contended to reporters, "Trump speaks with a negative and exclusionary voice. So, I think that’s why, in the end, she will prevail."