In her lone debate, Democratic incumbent Kathy Hochul will face Republican opponent Lee Zeldin on Tuesday night. Zeldin has attacked Hochul over crime in a campaign that polls indicate is becoming more competitive.
Since 2002, the state’s predominately Democratic electorate has not elected a Republican governor. However, current polling indicates Zeldin is pulling ahead of Hochul, which has caused the governor to refocus on public safety in the last weeks of her campaign.
The election on November 8 is still expected to go to Hochul, the former lieutenant governor of the state who gained office after Andrew Cuomo resigned as governor due to allegations of sexual harassment.
However, her margin has decreased to single digits in some surveys conducted in mid-October after some recent polls from this summer showed her to be ahead by more than 20 percentage points. She was only four and six points ahead according to Quinnipiac University and SurveyUSA.
According to Reuters/Ipsos polls from late September to late October, the economy continues to be the top concern for the majority of Americans, but 5% of respondents consistently selected crime or corruption as the most significant issue confronting the United States today.
The Long Island congressman Zeldin has made combating crime and violence a focal part of his campaign. He has drawn attention to shocking attacks in the subway system of New York City and criticized Hochul for attempting to push “pro-criminal” legislation.
In the past, Hochul’s campaign emphasized criticizing Zeldin’s associations with Republican former U.S. President Donald Trump and asserting that Zeldin would restrict access to abortion in New York if elected.
But lately, she has placed a greater emphasis on public safety. She ran an advertisement on Friday promising “a safer New York for every child” and highlighting the legislation she supported that tightened bail and weapons controls.
She made an appearance alongside New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Saturday to make the announcement that police officers would be stationed at more than 300 stations during peak travel times in the city’s subway system.
News Source: I Get Talk