Hochul relies on repetition and evasion in debate with Zeldin

 

 CBS New York

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul went head-to-head Tuesday night with Republican challenger Rep. Lee Zeldin in their first and only debate before Election Day.

CBS2 political reporter Marcia Kramer says if you ask her, the tale of the debate on Spectrum News NY1 was summed in one single round when each candidate got to ask the other a question. The gloves were off, each going for what they thought was the other's Achilles' heel.

Hochul said hers was a simple yes or no answer.

"Is Donald Trump a great president?" Hochul asked.

"I worked closely with him on a number of important policies," Zeldin said.

"Yes or no, yes or no," Hochul said.

"And I believe that from our work to combat MS-13 on Long Island, our work to secure a $2 billion electron ion collider for Brookhaven National Lab," Zeldin said.

The Long Island congressmen then embarked on a long list of what he called Trump accomplishments, from moving the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem to ending the Iran nuclear accords.

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

Zeldin's question to Hochul was also a pointed gotcha, referring to campaign donations from companies doing business with the state, including one who supplied COVID test kits.

"What specific measures are you pledging to deal with the pay-to-play corruption that is plaguing you and your administration?" Zeldin asked.

"I don't accept the premise. There is no pay-to-play corruption," hochul said. "There has never been a quid pro quo, a policy change or decision made because of a contribution ... If you're going to talk about unseemly circumstances, how does one person get away with giving you $10.5 million in your election?"

For the most part, the one and only debate between Hochul and Zeldin revolved around the themes they have sounded on the campaign trail:  Zeldin's, the focus on public safety, bail reform, firing Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and ending congestion pricing, and Hochul pointing out that Zeldin does not support abortion rights and is, in her words, an "election denier."

"There is no crime-fighting plan if it doesn't include guns, illegal guns, and you refuse to talk about how we can do so much more. You didn't even show up for votes in Washington when a bipartisan group of enlightened legislators voted for an assault weapon ban," Hochul said.  

"It's amazing that we're going to be able to go through the entire crime conversation of this debate and we're still waiting for Kathy Hochul to talk about actually locking up criminals," Zeldin said. "Kathy Hochul believes that the only crimes that are being committed are these crimes with guns, 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 ... We need to be talking about all of these other crimes, but instead, Kathy Hochul is too busy patting herself on the back, job well done."

Believe it or not, the two actually agreed on one thing:  both think the cap on charter schools should be lifted.

Early voting starts Saturday. Election Day is Nov. 8.