Zeldin, Hochul Face Off In 1st, Only Gubernatorial Debate

LONG ISLAND, NY — The gloves were off Tuesday as incumbent Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, and challenger Rep. Lee Zeldin, a Republican, engaged in their first and only debate.

The debate, held at Pace University and aired on Spectrum News 1 channels in New York, was moderated by "Inside City Hall" host Errol Louis and "Capital Tonight" political anchor Susan Arbetter.

During opening remarks, Zeldin said: "I'm here for one reason, to save our state. New York is in crisis," he said, with residents experiencing attacks on their wallets, safety, freedom, and children's education, he added. "New Yorkers are struggling to feed their families and heat their homes. The reality is that you deserve better," Zeldin said, pointing at the camera.

Zeldin said he and Hochul differ on their stances regarding crime, specificially bail reform.

Hochul began by saying she's worked to invest in education, childcare, and to put more money in the pockets of the middle class. She also emphasized getting illegal guns off the street and protecting women's right to choose.

Hochul pointed out Zeldin's longtime support for former President Donald Trump and recent leaked texts that have surfaced indicating that Zeldin and his team was in touch with Trump's in an effort to overturn the 2020 election, according to a report.

Zeldin, who has promised to invoke a state of emergency in relation to crime should he win the election and revoke bail reform, was asked by moderators about reports by New York's Department of Criminal Justice Services that say it's too soon to draw conclusions about cashless bail.

"It's about the will of the people," Zeldin said. "They want to see reform." He slammed Hochul for her first Lt. Governor Brian Benjamin, who he said was the "architect of cashless bail."

"I'm running to make our streets safe again," Zeldin said. "I'm running to take back our streets."

"You can work on keeping people scared or safe," Hochul said, adding that she'd worked to ensure "common sense" changes to the the bail reform. Also, she pivoted to a central theme she presented in the debate: "There is no crime-fighting plan if it does not include illegal guns. He didn't even show up in Washington when there was a vote on the ban on assault weapons."

Hochul adamantly supported a ban on the sale of assault weapons for teenagers.

"This is about getting guns off the street," she said. "We have more to do and I'm the one to do it."

Zeldin countered and said crime encompassed more than just gun concerns, pointing to those who are afraid of being pushed in front of a subway car, stabbing, being beaten with hammers because of their race or religion.

"We need to overhaul cashless bail reform — zero tolerance," he said.

When asked about his pledge to remove New York County District Attorney Alvin Bragg on his first day in office, Zeldin accused Bragg of saying he was not going to enforce various laws and brought up Jose Alba, a clerk charged with murder after fatally stabbing an assailant.

"DA stands for District Attorney, not Defense Attorney," he said.

"I"m not surprised, because in Lee Zeldin's world, you overturn elections you don't agree with," Hochul said. "You can't throw out someone you don't agree with. He thinks he can just undo the will of the people."

Hochul added: "It's not about governing by sound bites. I'm governing by sound policy."

She said there are more guns off the streets now because when she took office she brought together a panel comprised of representatives from nine states to discuss the issues. She has worked with New York City Mayor Eric Adams on a safety plan for the subways, including cameras, as well as a way to help treat people with mental illnesses who can have episodes on subways.

Hochul was reminded by moderators that crime was up 57 percent in the subway this year with eight homicides, compared to three in recent years.

"I understand the fear," Hochul said. "I walk the streets of New York City every day and ride the subway. I'm dealing with real humans anxious for their kids getting on the subway. Hochul said she tripled money for law enforcement and Zeldin "didn't even show up to vote" in support of police officers or gun reform. "I feel for his constituents. He walked off the job," she said.

Zeldin said he was still waiting for Hochul "to actually talk about locking up criminals — to make sure the handcuffs are going on criminals so people can walk the streets of Manhattan rather than call Uber because they're afraid to walk two blocks, or take off their yalmakes because they're afraid."

Hochul accused Zeldin of "rhetoric" and she had a record of getting things done.

Economy

When asked about the economy, Zeldin said there is a need to bring state spending into control, with a state spending cap and bringing down taxes. He believes there should be a reversal on the ban of extraction of natural gas.

New York, he said, leads in population loss as New Yorkers head to other locations to raise their families. "New York is going to be back open for business, baby, Jan. 1," he said.

Hochul said she did help people in the state by cutting taxes for the middle class, with tax rebates and cutting the gas tax. With rent and mortagage being residents' most pressing concern, Hochul said she has a plan to create 1 million new homes to drive down affordability isues. "It's disingenuous to say you want to create jobs when you vote against everything that would create jobs, infrastructure, inflation reduction, and to protect the environment."

She told Zeldin: "You are an election and climate change denier."

Zeldin said Hochul is hitting commuters with congestion pricing and lowering the threshold for farmers' overtime from 60 to 40 hours per week. He also said money allocated in 2015 for pot hole reduction was only spent in recent months.

"Kathy Hochul has been failing every step of the way," he said.

Hochul said the state was absorbing the cost to farmers.

"New Yorkers are looking for leadership and on Jan. 1, they'll have it," Zeldin said.

He also said creation of well-paying jobs is also important so people can afford the dream of home ownership in New York. "With Kathy Hochul, New Yorkers can have their first kid in their parents' basement or move to another state and buy a home," he said.

Hochul said $25 billion was allocated in the last budget to build 100,000 more units of affordable housing; plans also include using office space in New York City for housing and scaling zoning barriors.

Abortion

Hochul blasted Zeldin on the issue of abortion and said, although Zeldin said "nothing had changed" on June 24, when the Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution does not confer the right to abortion, it was because "I'm the governor of New York State. He's got a pro-life record." She also said Zeldin would bring on a pro-life health commissioner that would have the power to shut down clinics.

When asked about abortion, something he has not supported, if he would sign a bill if a Republican-weighted legislature crafted a bill to change New York's pro-abortion stance, Zeldin said there was not going to be a Republican legislature. He said he "was not going to change" the situation in New York.

He also said he has heard from pro-lifers who are not happy to be supporting, with their tax dollars, abortions for people who live 1,500 miles away.

"Lee, you can't run from your record," Hochul said. "You're the only person on this stage whose name is on a bill called 'life begins at conception.' I don't see how you think people won't notice. I don't trust this. Women don't trust this."

Pay-to-play

During the cross-examination, Zeldin fired back at Hochul: "One of the reasons why my opponent has lost the trust of so many New Yorkers is pay-to-play corruption." He accused Hochul of hosting fundraisers and then suspending unilateral bidding laws for contracts.

Hochul denied the charge, saying "there has never been a quid pro quo policy made because of a contribution."

Donald Trump

For her question, Hochul said: "Yes or no: Is Donald Trump a great president?"

Zeldin listed the number of measures on which he'd worked with Trump, including the MS-13 gang issues on Long Island, the ion collider at Brookhaven National Lab; he also praised his work to secure the border and his work to support New York during the pandemic, among other initiatives.

"I’ll take that as a resounding yes — and voters of New York do not agree with you," Hochul said.

Moderators asked if Hochul would like to see President Joe Biden run again, she said yes. They asked Zeldin if he'd like to see Trump run again. "I'm not even thinking about it. I'm focused on 14 days from today, defeating Kathy Hochul and saving the state," he said.

Hochul was asked about a bill on a moratorium on cryptocurrency mining; she said her office was looking at it closely, and the goal was to make sure it was a green facility. Zeldin said he wouldn't.

Recreational marijuana

Asked about New York and recreational marijuana and whether sufficient protections were in place, Zeldin said he felt the trains smelled of marijuana and he worried about families and what they would be subjected to. Hochul said she believes legalizing recreational marijuana will help to provide jobs for marginalized populations who've been incarcerated and long overlooked.

Threats to democracy and ethics

Zeldin was asked, since he voted against certifying the 2020 election in Arizona and Pennsylvania — with no systemic fraud found since — would he vote the same way again.

"Election integrity should always matter," Zeldin said, adding that he believes in voter ID, and that he opposed ballot harvesting.

Hochul referenced the leaked text to lay out strategy.

"There's a big lie out there and it's deeply troubling," she said. "I have always, for 20 years, played by the rules. I support campaign finance reform...to make sure people have trust in the system."

The candidates were also asked about those seeking asylum in New York City and immigration reform; Hochul was asked about the new $1.4 billion Buffalo Bills stadium, something she said was important, to keep the team in New York and she did not want to be the governor to lose the Bills.

And, she said, she knew about creating and economy and jobs.

When asked about his plan for upstate, other than hyrdrofracking, Zeldin said the problem was not about job creation it was about job-creation projects with a "corruption creating governor."

Asked about casino licenses in New York, Zeldin said it was about siting. Hochul said she would not stop the process, which would bring thousands of jobs.

COVID

When asked about whether Hochul would impose a policy urged by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to add COVID vaccines to children's vaccine schedules, Hochul said, "Not at this time."

"I do not support COVID mandates in any way, shape or form," Zeldin said. "I will not mandate COVID vaccines for your kids —ever." He added that front line heroes who lost their jobs over the vaccine mandate should be reinstated with back pay.

The single scheduled debate has been a source of contention for Zeldin, who 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."

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 last week 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 Tuesday.

“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.

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.