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Metro

Rep. Lee Zeldin calls NY Gov. Kathy Hochul ‘afraid’ to debate as invites go unanswered

By
Zach Williams
Published Aug. 25, 2022
Updated Aug. 25, 2022, 7:00 p.m. ET

Republican gubernatorial nominee Lee Zeldin accused Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday of ducking him by waiting to accept outstanding invitations to debate him ahead of the Nov. 8 election.

“What is Kathy Hochul so afraid of?” the GOP standard-bearer thundered in a statement Thursday.

Lee Zeldin
Rep. Lee Zeldin’s calls for a debate with Gov. Kathy Hochul have thus far gone unanswered. Matthew McDermott for NY Post

“She could easily accept the CBS2 and Pix11 debate requests today,” added Zeldin, referring to offers from two NYC stations to host debates in October.

The incumbent agreed to go head-to-head with Zeldin last week – but she has yet to say when, where or how many times she might share the stage with him. Zeldin, by contrast, has demanded at least five showdowns in cities across the Empire State.

“Voters deserve the ability to make an informed decision about the future of our state, to learn first hand where the two candidates stand on the issues most important to them and cast their vote accordingly,” Zeldin said in the statement.

Kathy Hochul
Zeldin accused Hochul of leaving upstate New Yorkers in “poverty” by barring the controversial extraction of natural gas. William Farrington for NY Post

Both Zeldin and Hochul faced off with their primary opponents in multiple debates before their respective party primaries in June, which they both won with ease.

“As she has in every election throughout her career, Governor Hochul looks forward to debating Congressman Zeldin this fall,” Hochul spokeswoman Jerrel Harvey said in an email Thursday, repeating campaign talking points from earlier this month.

Unsettled debate dates were not the only sources of conflict between Hochul and Zeldin on Thursday

The governor blasted Zeldin over his support for ending a state ban on fracking during a morning appearance on WNYC’s The Brian Lehrer Program.

“That idea is dead on arrival,” she said. “No way are we going to go backwards to our commitment to protect the environment. And this is just another example of how Lee Zeldin is the one out of touch with New York values.”

The governor also threw shade on her opponent’s positions on abortion and gun rights – two key issues in her quest for a full term in office after replacing scandal-plagued ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo last August.

“New Yorkers need to hear about Lee Zeldin’s allegiance to the MAGA agenda and far-right record on guns and abortion rights and Governor Hochul will deliver that message to voters ahead of November,” Goodman added in the email.

The Long Island lawmaker fired back by accusing Hochul of leaving upstate New Yorkers in “poverty” by barring the controversial extraction of natural gas. He also attacked the incumbent over her handling of state finances amid projected budget deficits, and opposition to changing bail reform laws amid rising crime.

“New Yorkers have told me time and time again that their top concerns of this race are crime, the economy, quality of education, corruption in Albany and more,” he said. “The status quo isn’t cutting it, and they know it’s going to take common sense, balance, and new leadership to bring New York back from the brink and save our state.”