Zeldin Demands Hochul 'Come Out Of Hiding,' Agree To More Debates

LONG ISLAND, NY — Rep. Lee Zeldin, who is facing off against incumbent Gov. Kathy Hochul in a bid for her seat, has once again sounded the cry for additional debates.

Zeldin said Thursday that he sent a letter to Hochul, calling on her to "come out of hiding" and agree to multiple debates statewide. The letter comes less than a week before the pair are set to debate on Spectrum News on Tuesday.

"We owe it to the voters of New York to have multiple TV debates across the state. It’s not too late for you to finally agree to provide New Yorkers the multiple debates they deserve," Zeldin said.

Absentee ballots started going out Sept. 23. Zeldin said debates should have kicked off already so New Yorkers can make the most informed decision about the future of New York.

He accused Hochul of "desperately trying to get away with just one debate."

"One debate may be the rock bottom standard you sadly aspire to, but it is not enough . . . If you agree to also do one of the outstanding debate requests on a New York City broadcast station, as well as a broadcast debate in one of the state’s other media markets such as Buffalo, that would be a different story for you to hit the bare minimum at this point."

Hochul campaign spokesperson Jerrel Harvey released the following statement in response: "Lee Zeldin is hiding from New Yorkers because he can’t handle tough questions about his extreme views and dangerous far-right agenda. Governor Hochul plans to debate Lee Zeldin next Tuesday on Spectrum and looks forward to seeing him there.”

Zeldin's call for additional debates comes as he has remained mum on Trump's endorsement — amidst leaked texts that suggest he was strategizing to help overturn the 2020 election.

Hochul came out strong against the texts this week, according to Spectrum News 1.

In September, Hochul offered a single debate with challenger Zeldin in the upcoming gubernatorial race — and Zeldin flatly rejected the offer, unless additional debates are added. Hochul's campaign said she would agree to an hour-long debate Oct. 25, hosted by Spectrum News NY1 at Pace University in New York City, according to the Daily News.

“Governor Hochul looks forward to highlighting the clear contrast between her strong record of delivering results and Lee Zeldin’s extreme agenda,” campaign spokesman Jerrel Harvey said in a statement, according to that Daily News report.

According to a report by13WHAM.com, a Rochester-based television station, Hochul announced during a question-and-answer session after a press briefing that she would debate Zeldin.

In June, Zeldin was declared the winner of the GOP primary to vie for the New York State governor's seat against incumbent Hochul, who won the Democratic primary, giving her a chance in the Nov. 8 election to become the first woman to serve a full term as New York's governor.