FILE - Suffolk County Congressman Lee Zeldin listens as he prepares to participate in New York's Republican gubernatorial debate at the studios of CBS2 TV, June 13, 2022, in New York. Zeldin, the Republican challenging New York Gov. Kathy Hochul in next month's election, has delivered his anti-crime message while speaking at buildings and bodegas in diverse New York City neighborhoods. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews, File)
Election 2022 Crime
NEW YORK (77WABC) — Republican Rep. Lee Zeldin has for weeks been challenging Gov. Kathy Hochul to a series of debates across the state.
Tonight’s debate on Spectrum News is the only opportunity for voters to see the two challengers square off. Expect Zeldin to hammer Hochul on his top campaign issue: rising crime and the state’s bail reform laws.
A recent series of polls shows Zeldin has narrowed the gap against Hochul, magnifying the importance of the debate.
Hochul is expected to highlight her record on abortion rights, gun reform and economic development, while painting Zeldin as an extremist for his anti-abortion views and his close alliance with former President Donald Trump. He also said he hopes to address issues ranging from pay-to-play corruption to congestion pricing to the state’s ban on fracking, which he would reverse.
