OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Unelected New York Gov. Kathy Hochul could ill-afford to make a disastrous flub in the governor’s race debate on Tuesday night. But that’s exactly what Kathy Hochul did.
In an exchange with challenger Lee Zeldin, Hochul was extremely dismissive about the Republican candidate’s concerns about rampant crime.
“She still hasn’t talked about locking up anyone committing any crimes,” Zeldin said.
“Anyone who commits a crime under our laws, especially with the change we made to bail, has consequences,” Hochul responded.
“I don’t know why that’s so important to you,” Hochul added.
WATCH:
This may be the tone-deaf political comment of the year.
Lee Zeldin wasted no time dialing up the soundbite for his campaign.
Kathy Hochul's response to me tonight when I spoke about how we need to lock up criminals:
"I don’t know why that's so important to you"?
NYers are getting beaten, slashed, stabbed, and pushed in front of subway cars every day, yet @KathyHochul still can't address crime in NY. pic.twitter.com/rXvGH6XuKd
— Lee Zeldin (@leezeldin) October 26, 2022
“Kathy Hochul’s response to me tonight when I spoke about how we need to lock up criminals,” Zeldin said, “I don’t know why that’s so important to you”?
“NYers are getting beaten, slashed, stabbed, and pushed in front of subway cars every day, yet @KathyHochul
still can’t address crime in NY,” he added.
Zeldin also pointed out Hochul’s reluctance to debate him in the first place.
Hochul refuses to accept the fact everyday law-abiding NYers are falling victim to her radical pro-criminal policies, the fact hardworking NYers are paying the price for her pay to play corruption, the reality that NYers are struggling to heat their homes & feed their kids.
— Lee Zeldin (@leezeldin) October 26, 2022
“Now we know why Kathy Hochul didn’t want to debate,” Zeldin said. “It’s clear she didn’t want to take any questions because she doesn’t have any answers. She just flat out refused to talk about the issues most important to New Yorkers – crime, corruption, and our cost of living.”
“Hochul refuses to accept the fact everyday law-abiding NYers are falling victim to her radical pro-criminal policies, the fact hardworking NYers are paying the price for her pay to play corruption, the reality that NYers are struggling to heat their homes & feed their kids,” he continued.
“Hochul said time & time again to New Yorkers that this is the best she’s got, & her best is failing us,” he added. “On Nov 8th, New Yorkers will FIRE Hochul, end one-party rule, and save our state. Tonight was just a glimpse at how hard I will fight each day for you. Losing is not an option.”
Zeldin has gained extraordinary ground on Hochul in recent weeks.
🚨 New York Governor Polling Trends by Survey USA among CERTAIN to vote
August 21
(D) Kathy Hochul 58% (+25)
(R) Lee Zeldin 33%October 18
(D) Kathy Hochul 46% (+2)
(R) Lee Zeldin 44%✅ 𝟮𝟯 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝘁𝗼𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗟𝗲𝗲 𝗭𝗲𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻 pic.twitter.com/wiGuoF74Nn
— InteractivePolls (@IAPolls2022) October 20, 2022
Interactive Polls on Oct. 20 pointed out a Survey USA poll that showed a 23 point shift to Zeldin to close within 2 points of Hochul.
🚨 NEW YORK GOVERNOR POLLING TRENDS BY @coefficientpoll
September 7
(D) Kathy Hochul 49% (+6)
(R) Lee Zeldin 43%October 18
(R) Lee Zeldin 46% (+1)
(D) Kathy Hochul 45%✅ 𝟳 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗟𝗲𝗲 𝗭𝗲𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻 pic.twitter.com/GYcHpYcrAq
— InteractivePolls (@IAPolls2022) October 21, 2022
Interactive Polls reported another Oct. 18 poll that showed Zeldin actually ahead of Hochul by one point.
Hochul, of course, has seen the polling and has cobbled together a semblance of a pro-law enforcement position. Governor Hochul and New York City Mayor Eric Adams recently announced 1,200 additional overtime officer shifts for subways, where crime has run rampant.
Tucker Carlson recently had Zeldin on and congratulated him on ‘winning the governor’s race.’
Zeldin eloquently laid out why crime mattered to New York voters and why Hochul has been struggling in the race as of late.
In a related exchange at the debate, Zeldin blasted Hochul for harping on legal gun ownership, when crime is being committed in all manner of ways in New York.
Lee Zeldin blasts Kathy Hochul for thinking the only crimes are those committed with guns pic.twitter.com/4q2kRnNL3W
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) October 25, 2022
“Unfortunately, Kathy Hochul believes that the only crimes that are being committed are these crimes with guns,” Zeldin said. “And you got people who are afraid of being pushed in front of oncoming subway cars. They’re being stabbed, beaten to death on the street with hammers. Go talk to the Asian American community and how it’s impact them with the loss of lives. Jewish people targeted with raw, violent antisemitism on our streets. It just happened.”
“Yet again, we need to be talking about all of these other crimes,” he went on. “But instead, Kathy Hochul is too busy patting herself on the back. ‘Job well done’ No, actually right now there should be a special session. The state legislature should come back and they should overhaul cashless bail and these other pro-criminal laws with zero tolerance. But they’re saying ‘elect me.’ She says, ‘elect me, and then you’ll find out where maybe I’ll stand on this issue in January’.”
That’s a chance that New Yorkers should no longer take. It’s time to get serious about defending New York from crime or watch it decline permanently.
