"I will fight for the future of our state, the future of my niece and nephews and the future of all New York's children," Esposito said.  

Candidates for governor and lieutenant governor run separately in party primaries and the winners are later joined on a ticket in the general election. Mismatches can occur, most recentely in 2010 when then-GOP nominee for governor Carl Paladino was paired with rival Rick Lazio's preferred candidate for lieutenant governor, Chautauqua County Executive Greg Edwards. 

The GOP field for governor in recent days has grown in the days leading up to the Republican convention even as Zeldin has locked up endorsements from county leaders in the party.

Zeldin faces former Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, former Trump administration official Andrew Giuliani and businessman Harry Wilson for the Republican nomination.