Councilman Eric Ulrich, who represents Ozone Park and Howard Beach, has been named the New York City chairman of former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign.
Ulrich is the youngest member of the City Council, and on Nov. 28 the 26-year-old was selected to head the campaign’s New York City arm.
Ulrich said Romney’s campaign approached him, and he was eager to sign on.
“I believe Governor Romney stands the best chance of beating the current president, and I believe he’s the most qualified person to be president,” Ulrich said.
Specifically, Ulrich pointed out he’s proud of Romney’s business chops, saying his experience overseeing large companies such as Staples, The Sports Authority and Domino’s Pizza give him the tools to help a lagging economy.
Ulrich’s main responsibility will be selecting delegates and alternates for the campaign. He will be working with other county chairs around New York State to select a group that adequately represents his home city.
“We want the delegates from the city of New York to represent our diversity,” Ulrich said.
Ulrich has never met Romney, but that will most likely change. Ulrich said the candidate will be in town for a fundraiser next month, and Ulrich said he expects to see him return to New York many times during and after the primaries.
“The Romney campaign will not give up on any state. They will be competing for every vote,” he said.
The head of Romney’s campaign for New York state, former Borough President Guy Molinari, was the one who announced the selection of Ulrich in a press release on Nov. 28.
“Since being elected in 2009, Eric Ulrich has emerged as one of the rising stars in the Republican Party,” Molinari said in a statement. “I am honored that he has agreed to work with me to ensure that Governor Romney assembles a formidable organization here in New York City for our party’s primary and we return New York to the Republican column next November.”
Ulrich is a native of New York, born and raised in Ozone Park. He first took public office on February 24 2009, when he won the City Council Special Election in District 32. He was re-elected in the November General Election of that same year. He now serves as Minority Whip of the Republican delegation.
By Patricia Adams and Jeremiah Dobruck
j.dobruck@theforumnewsgroup.com
