The small-but-influential New York Conservative Party is now poised to give its all-important third line on the Empire State election ballot to Donald Trump, its state chairman revealed to Newsmax on Saturday.



"We're overwhelming for Trump," said Conservative State Chairman Mike Long. He added that the endorsement will be officially made in September by the party’s 287-member state committee.



Although New York last went for a Republican presidential candidate in 1984, there are signs that Trump could actually put its 29 electoral votes in the GOP column.



Along with being a native New Yorker, Trump has an enthusiastic following among ethnic, suburban and upstate voters.



In the April 19 primary, Trump rolled up a strong 60.5 percent of the vote, one of his strongest showings during his campaign.



Long’s assessment is major shift from when he last spoke with Newsmax in early April.

At that time, he explained, the Conservative Party was "split evenly" between Trump and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, with some party activists backing Ohio Gov. John Kasich.



Obviously, the near-certainty of Trump being the Republican nominee for President has raised his stock within the Conservative Party. Since 1972, the Conservative Party has given its ballot line to the Republican nominee for president and is considered crucial for any GOP candidate in carrying the state.



"And there are still some complaints Trump isn’t conservative enough," Long said, "But there is also an overwhelming sentiment that we cannot afford four more years of Barack Obama and that’s what four years of Hillary Clinton means."



Since it was founded in 1962 to battle liberal Republican Gov. Nelson Rockefeller, the Conservative Party has frequently provided the winning votes for Republican nominees it has "cross-endorsed."



In 1980, for example, Ronald Reagan carried New York’s electoral votes with help from the Conservative line. Both Republicans George Pataki and Al D’Amato won three terms as governor and U.S. Senator respectively with votes from the Conservative ballot line.



"And our endorsement can be helpful to Trump across the nation," Long told us. Noting that Trump "is having some trouble with other conservatives nationwide. Having our seal of approval could possibly bring some of those who are undecided onto the 'Trump train.'"



But not all New York conservatives are on board the Trump train. National Review, the venerable conservative publication founded by the late William F. Buckley, Jr., has been sharply critical of the GOP presumptive nominee. Buckley was one of the founding members of the Conservative Party and the party’s nominee for mayor of New York City back in 1965.



John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax.



















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