Bruce Blakeman Leaves Kathy Hochul Short

On Tuesday, incumbent Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) confronted her Republican challenger, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, in the only debate of the New York governor’s race. Spectrum News hosted the event for what many contemplate a toss-up race. 

Gov. Kathy Hochul and Bruce Blakeman are practically neck-and-neck as they head into the gubernatorial election’s only debate Tuesday, a beautiful new ballot discovered.

Democrat Hochul leads the Republican Nassau govt 47% to 44%, a Pollfinity survey launched Tuesday discovered.

The ballot discovered about 6% of voters had been undecided, while another 3% deliberate to forged their ballots for others.

It went as anticipated. Blakeman got here with information and insurance policies; Hochul blamed President Donald Trump for the issues New York faces and her refusal to keep New Yorkers protected. In fact, security took up a enormous portion of the controversy, and Blakeman got here loaded for bear.

One knew issues weren’t going nicely for Hochul when she actually glitched in the midst of her opening assertion.

WATCH:

You just watched the Worst Governor in America @KathyHochul’s mind short circuit on live TV https://t.co/IQeJvpJSXz

— Stefan Mychajliw (@StefanMychajliw) October 13, 2026

Blakeman was a bit more eloquent in his supply, and reminded New Yorkers that Trump was not the explanation for the state’s decline: Kathy Hochul’s horrible management is.

WATCH:

Republican candidate Bruce Blakeman said New York state at the moment has a poor financial outlook – and he said it is the fault of Gov. Kathy Hochul, not President Donald Trump. “We’re dead last because people aren’t investing in New York because they don’t have confidence in the policies of Kathy Hochul,” he said.

— Spectrum News NY1 (@NY1) October 13, 2026

Republican candidate Bruce Blakeman said New York state at the moment has a poor financial outlook – and he said it is the fault of Gov. Kathy Hochul, not President Donald Trump.

“We’re dead last because people aren’t investing in New York because they don’t have confidence in the policies of Kathy Hochul,” he said.

Blakeman was most on goal when he called Hochul out on her sanctuary insurance policies, which have resulted in a sequence of murders in the Big Apple allegedly perpetrated by unlawful aliens. The most current was on Thursday in the Bronx, where an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer shot and wounded 28-year-old Oscar Belgal, a Dominican unlawful alien who had a conviction for grand larceny stemming from an armed theft and a pending drug case involving fentanyl and other substances. 

As my RedState colleague Rusty reported, federal authorities had also linked  Belgal to the Trinitarios gang and his attainable involvement in the taking pictures of an off-duty Border Patrol agent. 

Belgal also wins a Father of the Year award for having his five-year-old in the back seat of this vehicle as he allegedly accelerated toward the ICE brokers. They shot into the car, unaware that the kid was in it. 

Hochul accused Blakeman of mendacity about his report of supporting law enforcement, cooperation with ICE, and maintaining Nassau County protected. Blakeman was having none of it, and countered:

BLAKEMAN: Maybe you have not heard: U.S. News and World Report says I’ve the most secure county in America.

So, I back law enforcement and I back the legal guidelines of both our federal authorities and our state authorities. And I give our law enforcement professionals the instruments they need to keep us protected.

You say you spent 4 billion {dollars} on law enforcement? Well, you spent 8 billion {dollars} on unlawful migrants and gave them more advantages than New Yorkers get: how does that make any sense?

WATCH:

.@NassauExec Bruce Blakeman: “I back law enforcement…[Kathy Hochul] spent $8 BILLION on illegal migrants and gave them more benefits than New Yorkers.” https://t.co/nhmcMnLtrk

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 13, 2026

Hochul’s report of coddling the migrants and refusing to be held accountable has grow to be legend. She claims compassion and devastation, but to some critics, her face appears to be like like she just had a contemporary Botox session. Blakeman once again confronted her over the death and destruction that is instantly correlated to Hochul’s refusal to work with ICE to take away prison unlawful aliens from New York.

HOCHUL: I used to be devastated.

BLAKEMAN: How about the 2 30-year-old ladies who had been murdered by an unlawful migrant in my county? What do you say to their households? What do you say to all those people who have had their kids hooked on medication by unlawful migrants bringing fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin into our communities? We have an epidemic of crime from these unlawful migrants. Sixteen-thousand detainers are on the market for people who dedicated 52,000 crimes in our state, and you will not let local law enforcement cooperate with ICE to decide them up and get out of this state.

WATCH:

.@NassauExec RIPS Kathy Hochul for defending criminals: “How about the two 30-year-old women who were murdered by an illegal migrant in my county…we have an epidemic of crime from these illegal migrants…and you won’t let local law enforcement cooperate with ICE.” https://t.co/C7iFlIBlDU

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 13, 2026

But right here is where Blakeman left Hochul in the mud. When Blakeman confronted her on her lack of compassion for the victims of unlawful alien crime, and whether or not she would apologize to these mother and father who misplaced their kids because of it, Hochul did every thing but dance the two-step to get around having to admit culpability or say she would apologize.

Hochul provided up this tortured and strained response.

You know, any crime is heartbreaking. There’s a household left with a enormous gap in their coronary heart. And I abhor all crimes, regardless of the perpetrator, victims deserve our sympathy, they deserve our compassion. And that’s why I’m laser centered on making New York so a lot safer than it has been before.

WATCH: 

INSANE! Kathy Hochul can’t even apologize to victims of crimes dedicated by unlawful aliens – or promise to return their calls. @NassauExec: “Will you please return Sheridan Gorman’s parents’ calls to talk to you?” HOCHUL: “Any crime is heartbreaking.” https://t.co/Ikv8dZfVND

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 13, 2026

BLAKEMAN: So, Gov. Hochul. Under your sanctuary insurance policies, a 14-year previous was raped not too long ago right here in New York state by an unlawful migrant.

Four Irondequot residents had been killed not too long ago by an unlawful migrant. Two of those victims had been kids under the age of 5.

Two Nassau County ladies in their 30s had been killed by an unlawful migrant because of your sanctuary insurance policies.

Will you apologize to that 14-year-old lady, whose life is eternally modified and her household, and the households of those who had been killed? The ones that’ll never get to sit another Thanksgiving dinner, never have the opportunity to open their presents under the Christmas tree? Will you apologize to them, and will you please return Sheridan Gorman’s mother and father’ calls to discuss to you about your sanctuary coverage?

HOCHUL: You know, any crime is heartbreaking. There’s a household left with a enormous gap in their coronary heart. And I abhor all crimes, regardless of the perpetrator, victims deserve our sympathy, they deserve our compassion. And that’s why I’m laser centered on making New York so a lot safer than it has been before.

One New York City Councilman summed it up nicely: it is time to put politics apart and save New York.

Bruce Blakeman confirmed tonight that he means business, wiping the ground with the worst governor New York has ever had, Kathy Hochul, and proving he’s prepared to lead on day one with common sense, decrease taxes, and a authorities that works for you, not against you. We can not afford 4 more years of destruction under Hochul, and as a Democrat, I urge my fellow Democrats and independents to put social gathering politics apart and vote for Bruce Blakeman this November to save our state.

— Robert Holden (@BobHoldenNYC) October 14, 2026

Bruce Blakeman confirmed tonight that he means business, wiping the ground with the worst governor New York has ever had, Kathy Hochul, and proving he’s prepared to lead on day one with common sense, decrease taxes, and a authorities that works for you, not against you. 

We can not afford 4 more years of destruction under Hochul, and as a Democrat, I urge my fellow Democrats and independents to put social gathering politics apart and vote for Bruce Blakeman this November to save our state.

Early voting in New York begins October 24.

Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will decide the destiny of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must preserve control of both chambers of Congress.

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