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.
