GOP challenger Bruce Blakeman attacked Gov. Kathy Hochul early and often on the Empire State’s sanctuary policies and affordability as federal policy loomed large during the sole gubernatorial debate Tuesday evening.
The incumbent Dem leader of the state was seemingly put on her back foot throughout the debate on television’s NY1, forced to defend her pro-migrant policies when the two were pressed on the ICE shooting of a Dominican man in NYC last week.
“What was the guy doing in the state in the first place?” Blakeman railed. “He’s a gangbanger.
“You have invited criminals to come into our state and prey on our or our communities,” Blakeman added. “And now you won’t let local law enforcement cooperate with ICE in an orderly way like we did in Nassau County.”
A debate between New York governor candidates Bruce Blakeman and Kathy Hochul kicks off as they make their pitch to voters. Spectrum News
Hochul fired back, defending her policies – which limit state law enforcement’s cooperation with federal immigration officials, saying the local police can still work with the feds on nearly 200 crimes.
“He’d be fine if ICE agents didn’t shoot into cars, shoot guns into vehicles, not knowing who’s inside and could have killed a 5-year-old child,” Hochul said.
“If that doesn’t shock the conscience of everybody, it should shock his conscience as well.”
Throughout the debate in Chelsea Market, the sitting gov continually tried to tie Blakeman to President Trump.
The New York City Police Department stated that no police officers were involved in the ICE shooting. Obtained by the NY Post
The Republican president, a friend of Blakeman, loomed large in Hochul’s defense and attacks, mentioning the president more than a dozen times in the hour-long segment, leading to Blakeman to eventually blurt out — “That’s all you can talk about.”
But surprisingly, Mayor Zohran Mamdani was barely brought up, despite Blakeman using the young socialist to drum up support from independents who are uneasy with the far-left mayor’s policies and Hochul’s close relationship.
Many Republicans — and even some Democrats — are highly leery of socialism and the hectic Democratic Socialists of America, and have used extreme lefty lawmakers in ads across the country.
In New York — which has about 5.8 million registered Democrats to the Republicans’ 2.7 million voters — that MAGA bromance could be an ace in the hole for Gov. Hochul, who is currently polling roughly 10 points ahead of Blakeman.
Hochul snagged the governorship with an unexpectedly-close 6-point margin over Republican Lee Zeldin in 2022.
Here’s the latest on the Bronx ICE shooting:
But Blakeman is holding out hope that Tuesday could set the stage for an upset on Election Day next month.
Zeldin’s loss was the closest a Republican has come to winning New York’s governorship in more than 20 years, inspiring hope for a clincher from Blakeman this election cycle — especially since the vast majority of New York state votes predominantly red, while the Blue Big Apple routinely carries Dems to victory.
But each other’s allies were sure to be just one course in the night’s feast of fury.
It comes three weeks ahead of the Nov. 3 election, with recent polls from Emerson College and PIX 11 placing Hochul ahead of Blakeman by about 52% to 40%, with about 8% of voters still undecided.
Those numbers have been shifting in recent months, with Blakeman inching within about 9 points of Hochul at the end of September.
Blakeman tossed New York’s crushing affordability problems all over Hochul and pushed his aggressive income tax reduction plan in turn.
Hochul, meanwhile, touted affordability measures she’s rolled out and proposed — including energy bill rebates and childcare subsidies — while saving a few digs for Blakeman’s lack of pushback against Trump’s 2025 tariffs, the widespread measure critics have blasted to fanning rising costs.
The state’s sanctuary laws were also expected to be a prime Hochul punching bag for Blakeman, especially after the Thursday ICE shooting in the Bronx that left wounded an illegal immigrant and suspected gangbanger — who leftist Hochul allies like Mamdani demanded be released.
“If that doesn’t shock the conscience of everybody and it should shock his conscience as well.”
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.