NEW YORK (WABC) — Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman campaigned in New York City on Thursday, making stops in Harlem and the South Bronx as he sought support from voters ahead of Election Day.
In Harlem, Blakeman appeared alongside former NBA All-Star Jayson Williams, promoting his plans to cut taxes and lower utility rates.
Later, in the South Bronx, Blakeman joined Pentecostal minister and former state Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr. at an event with conservative Latino voters. During the gathering, he invited attendees to visit him at the Governor’s Mansion if elected.
“Mi casa es su casa!” Blakeman told the crowd.
Blakeman has campaigned across New York City while embracing President Donald Trump, despite polling that indicates the president remains unpopular in New York state and particularly in New York City.
Asked whether he regretted aligning himself with Trump during the campaign, Blakeman said, “Look, there’s areas where I agree with the president. There’s areas where I disagree with the president.”
Blakeman also said he is pro-choice and supports guest worker permits for undocumented New Yorkers.
He criticized Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul and defended his campaign strategy.
“Kathy Hochul should regret the fact that she’s made it unaffordable to live here in the state of New York by taxing people out of their homes, by having ridiculously high utility rates, and by making communities less safe. So, she must have the regrets. I don’t have any regrets,” Blakeman said.
Meanwhile, Hochul spent Thursday campaigning on behalf of another Democratic candidate rather than focusing on her own race. She participated in a phone bank in Peekskill to support Democratic candidate Cait Conley in New York’s 17th Congressional District.
Hochul said her efforts were aimed at helping fellow Democrats while drawing a contrast with her Republican challenger.
“I’m trying to support my candidates wherever I can. But I also want to make sure that we don’t have Trump style leadership in Albany, which is what Bruce Blakeman has promised. So I need to be the firewall against that as well,” Hochul said.
Recent major polls have shown Hochul holding a double-digit lead in the governor’s race as the campaign enters its final stretch.
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