By Marcia Manning Lee, Managing Editor

Jun. 29, 2016:  Bronxville resident Charles J. Urstadt, known to many as Jay, has been appointed by the New York Republican State Committee to be a superdelegate to the Republican National Convention in Cleveland the third week in July. 

Jay is one of eleven superdelegates chosen by the New York Republican State Committee. He attributes his selection as a superdelegate to his close working relationship with Ed Cox, chairman of the New York Republican State Committee, and Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee. 

Urstadt has been active in New York State politics since the 1960s, when he served as commissioner of housing under the Rockefeller administration; this marks the fifth national convention he will have attended. "I've been to at least four other national Republican conventions, including those in Miami, St. Paul, Tampa, and New Orleans," he recalled. 

There are 95 delegates from New York in total, 81 congressional district ("regular") delegates--three chosen by each of New York's 27 congressional districts--and fourteen statewide delegates (the "superdelegates")--eleven "at-large" delegates chosen by the full state committee and three "automatic" delegates who are Republican National Committee members (the national committeeman, the national committeewoman, and the state chairman).

At the convention, Urstadt will have a unique relationship with the presumptive Republican presidential candidate, Donald Trump. Both families have been in commercial real estate in the New York City area for many years. Urstadt, previously commissioner of housing, remembers working with Fred Trump, Donald's father, on a large project in Coney Island using Mitchell Lama Housing funds to finance the project. "Little Donnie would come along with his dad to watch the construction," said Urstadt.

Later in 2005, Donald Trump presented Urstadt with a big brass plaque naming Urstadt "Real Estate Man of the Year" at the annual Association of Builders and Owners of Greater New York City. "I have a nice photo hanging on my wall with Donnie handing me the award while his father, Fred, stands beside me," Urstadt noted.  

Urstadt reported that he still calls the presidential candidate "Donnie." He saw him two times last week, in fact—one at a lunch and the other at a dinner. Whether he will call him Donnie should Trump win the White House remains to be seen.

Urstadt feels this coming presidential election will be "the most important presidential election in years. It will determine the way our country goes for the next 30 to 40 years. Supreme Court justices are at stake and so is the size of the private sector versus the U.S. government," he added.

"What are the chances of Trump's winning?" Urstadt was asked. "The pollsters got it wrong with Brexit and they've had it wrong with Trump."  

Pictured here: Jay Urstadt, superdelegate to this year's Republican National Convention.

Photo by N. Bower