Vote 2026: Race for New York State Comptroller

Who won? New York primary election results from across the region

hudsonvalley

Cole McDonnell

Roberto Torres

openingstatementsny1

Good evening, Governor, and thank you to everybody out there that's watching this debate. It gives me an opportunity to speak directly to you and your families about issues that are important here in New York State that affect you each and every day. As I travel across the state, and it's a beautiful state, everywhere I go, people are telling me how they're struggling, struggling to pay their bills, and they're worried about safety in their communities. Under Governor Hokel, we are the highest taxed state in America. Our utility bills are 70% higher than the national average, and because of policies like cashless bail, people feel unsafe in their own communities. As governor, I will cut taxes. I will cut your utility bills in half, and I will create safer communities just like I did in my own county in Nassau County. And let me say this. Kathy Hochle has spent $8 billion of your money on illegal migrants for free food, free housing, free transportation, and a free cell phone. That's your money that she spent on people who aren't New Yorkers. I believe she's got her priorities upside down. So I'm gonna ask you to vote for change. What have you got to lose? And vote for a better New York and vote for Blakeman for governor. Thank you. Next is Ms. Hochel. Good evening. Well, thank you for hosting us this evening and county executive. Good to see you this evening. Um, my parents started married life in a trailer park near the Bethlehem Steel plant. I used to work long hours after school every day to raise money for college at a pizzeria. You know, I never forgot where I came from and the struggles, and that's why as governor I have been laser focused on affordability and your family's safety, and that's why we've delivered the largest middle class rate cut in 70 years. That's why we've delivered over $10 billion in energy rebates and inflation rebates and rebates to help people pay their bills. And also this New York State now has the lowest crime rates it's had in modern history. Now we're not done yet and you're going to hear a lot of Well, a lot of Different opinions here this evening. And I want you to judge it this way. My opponent has said this. He says that he's going to bring Trump-style leadership to Albany. He says he's going to cut Medicaid in half. You heard him say that. And he's going to let ICE run rampant in our streets. So this is your choice, New Yorkers. I'm not letting this happen. Working together with you, we will not, because your family is my fight.

https://vod.prod.alticeustech.com/transcode/672298fc-90a5-477f-adbc-2dac93e1868c/672298fc-90a5-477f-adbc-2dac93e1868c.transcribe

iceconcernsny1CM

We're going to begin tonight by discussing an incident that is reigniting a national debate. An ICE agent last Thursday shot a Dominican immigrant in the upper Manhattan neighborhood of Marble Hill while his five year old son was in the back seat of the car. This took place on a busy street at a time many New Yorkers were making their way home from work or school. The federal government says the man drove towards agents before they shot him. I'm going to start with you, Mr. Blakeman. Multiple reports suggest that ICE has cut its training time, lowered its hiring standards, and deployed masked agents in cities whose leaders don't want them there, in this case with long guns in a crowded urban environment. And I guess the question is, are you comfortable with that? Kathy Hochle appealed. To ICE to let this criminal out. The question that New Yorkers have to ask is what was this guy doing in New York in the first place? It's because Kathy Hochle has made us a sanctuary state. Think about it. This guy came into the country illegally. He's been convicted of a crime. He's got pending charges for for dealing drugs, poison to our children. And he's a gangbanger. This is who, this is who Kathy Hochle is defending. I have, I have a cooperative agreement with ICE until Kathy, Kathy Hochle said we could no longer cooperate with ICE. We got over 2000 illegal migrants out of my county with criminal records ranging from rape, attempted murder, robbery, burglary, drug dealing, carjacking, gang activity. And that's because we cooperated with ICE and we didn't raid one school, one hospital, one daycare center, or one church. If you cooperate with federal law enforcement, it makes for a safer community. That's what I did. Kathy Hochle has taken that ability away from us. That's why things like this happen. I had a question for you, Ms. Hochel, but I wanted to give you a chance to respond. No, thank you. I think in his non-answer he refused to condemn what ICE did, so he basically says in the state of New York he'd be fine if ICE agents shoot car shoot into cars, shoot guns into vehicles, not knowing who's inside, and could have killed a five year old child. If that doesn't shock the conscience of everybody, and it should shock his conscience as well. And he says that's OK. That's how ICE is supposed to do it. I'll tell you what, I oversee over 500 policing agencies in the state of New York. Over half a million arrests every year. That's not how you conduct yourself. ICE is out of control. It's out of control in Nassau County. Never would have happened but for your sanctuary policy. You have invited criminals to come into our state and prey on our com on our communities, and now you won't let local law enforcement cooperate with ICE in. Orderly way like we did in my county. We didn't have any incidents in my county because we were allowed to cooperate with local law enforcement, but you took that tool away. The reason why that happened is because of you, Kathy Hochle, and your immigration policies where you actually invite people into our state, give them free everything, and you don't care whether they're criminals or not. That's a bad policy. I have a right to answer this one because this is so absurd. I have said from the president on down I said New York is not a sanctuary for criminals, not a sanctuary for criminals, full stop. But to say nothing happened in Nassau County, tell that to the man who on camera. Had his head rammed into a brick wall by ICE agents, was knocked unconscious. Say that to the family of the man who died in your custody. When he was in one of the Nassau County's jail and nothing bad happens, we'll tell that to 11-year-old Norman, who sobbed in my arms when local police, Nassau police took his father when he was just going to a Home Depot, for God's sakes, and his father was sitting for months and months in a detention center. Cathy, Norman was devastated. How about the 2 30-year-old women who were murdered by an illegal migrant in my county? What do you, what do you say to their families? What do you say to all those people who have had their children hooked on drugs by illegal migrants bringing fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin into our communities? We have an epidemic of crime from these illegal migrants. 16,000 detainers are out there for people who committed 52,000 crimes in our state. And you won't let local law enforcement cooperate with ICE to pick them up and get out of this state. This never would have happened, Kathy, if it wasn't for your policies. You know, his idea of law enforcement, because I have worked hard to drive down crime. I spent $4 billion of money to support our men and women in blue. They know I have their backs, and I want to make sure that they're keeping our community safe, not being deputized as ICE agents, which is what he did. And maybe

https://vod.prod.alticeustech.com/transcode/8d0f3ff2-98d4-4690-b9ab-dfe391a07a01/8d0f3ff2-98d4-4690-b9ab-dfe391a07a01.transcribe

utlitycostsny1CM

Voters' pocketbooks and we're going to start with Kathy Hochul. Ms. Hochul, New Yorkers pay among the highest energy costs in the nation, with experts saying that older plants are being shut down at a faster pace than the state can build new generation. And you've acknowledged that problem by sending out energy rebate checks to many New Yorkers, but the demand for energy continues and those prices continue to soar. Will these checks be going out annually and beyond that, what are you doing in the short term to lower utility costs? You know, Susan, great question. I understand the pain that so many people are going through. Energy prices are high all over America. And the issue is, as you've put out so perfectly, is that we don't have enough supply to meet the demand. So I have an all the above approach. I did do energy rebates just as a short term solution, but I'm trying to build more. But you know what the real problem is? I've got Donald Trump standing in the way of my energy projects, literally shut down a project, taking 1300 people off their jobs that would have powered half a million homes in Brooklyn. I also want to do. Part of my all of the above. I'm trying to do nuclear, but the White House playing politics won't sign off on it. So we're doing the best we can, but don't overlook the fact that it is the war with Iran that is driving up gasoline costs and energy costs, almost double of what they were in the past. Diesel is now double what it was. That is a real cost of energy that people are dealing with, and it was so unnecessary, and my opponent supports exactly what Donald Trump did. That war, will you raise income taxes? Many of your progressive allies are saying respond to that first? Sure, I'd like to respond to the, uh, utility bill issue because that's probably one of the most prevalent issues that we have here in New York. Uh, Kathy, Donald Trump didn't raise utility rates 48 times. You did. Donald Trump didn't increase our utility bills by 50% since you've become governor. You gave $150 back to people in a rebate in an election year right before the election when you've raised the average bill $4000 a year and your own energy research department says your policies will raise it another $4000 in the next five years. It's out of control and it's because of you, Kathy. You know what? You know what drives up energy prices in addition to Donald Trump's war that you support. His vision for energy across the state of New York. Now get this, he supports the hyper scale data centers that consume enormous amounts of energy. His picture what he wants to see upstate. He wants oil and gas rigs everywhere. He wants fossil fuel generating factories spewing smoke everywhere, and he wants data centers using our pri our, our rare farmland. His vision for how to create more energy. New Yorkers ought to hear that. We're going to run for the hill. You know that's a fiction. That's not my policies, but we are sitting on one of the largest natural gas reserves in the world, and you won't let us extract that natural gas. In Pennsylvania, a Democrat governor, Josh Shapiro, allows it, and that's why their energy costs are more than half of what. Cars are they have prosperity on the Pennsylvania side of the border. People are driving around in brand new Cadillac Escalades, and on the New York side of the border, they're driving around in 25 year old rusted out pickup trucks because of your policies. And I'll talk about data centers later if you'd like. No, let's talk about it now because you called, you called my moratorium crazy. Donald Trump says it's only for. Dumb poor people would support that. Are you support what Donald Trump said there as well? Dumb poor people don't don't wanna have skaters weren't sophisticated. We are gonna be getting to they are, but they need to have some support negotiating.

https://vod.prod.alticeustech.com/transcode/972d38a8-503d-431a-b454-7ed4d3b488c8/972d38a8-503d-431a-b454-7ed4d3b488c8.transcribe

utilitycosts2ny1CM

I need to ask you, Mr. Blakeman, you've attacked the governor over energy policy, but you haven't provided any details of how you intend to cut utility bills in half. How can that be achieved without hurting reliability or blowing a hole in local government budgets that utility tax, that tax utility investments? I've said it many times, so I'll repeat it. When you look at your energy bill, get your energy bill out tonight. Only about 30% of your payment actually goes for energy. The rest goes for taxes. Yes, Kathy Hochle taxes your energy bill as well, and Excessive delivery costs that are merely trying to masquerade rate hikes and her slush fund where she collects money every month from you, billions of dollars, and invests in science projects like wind. Turbines in the middle of the ocean or solar farms in upstate New York that are taking away our rich farmland, which by the way, are covered under snow 3 months out of the year. It's very expensive. She's paying billions of dollars to foreign corporations for these and guess what? That's why we're in an energy crisis. I would extract the natural gas from the Marcellus Shale. We'll get rid of that green energy scam of Kathy Hochul, and I will cut utility bills in half just like they did in Pennsylvania. No, actually just like Donald Trump said he would do on day one. So Donald Trump promises, he promised to cut energy costs. He promised to cut down grocery costs, and you know what, everything has happened under your friend Donald Trump, who you are the President of the of the fan club for Donald Trump, it's absurd how adoring you are of him. My gosh. Well, what he has done is raised gasoline prices and energy prices, and, and the costs of tariffs have driven up everything in the state. Have you bought groceries lately? My God, the people are suffering, and that didn't have to be the case. Why are we at war with the rest of the world and like to talk about Donald Trump all the time. Because you don't want to talk about your record because it's a record. It's a record of misery and failure. The highest taxes, utility rates, they're 70% higher than the national average. But let me say something about Donald Trump. Donald Trump's my friend. He's endorsed me, but so has Bonnie Lautenberg, a liberal Democrat whose husband Frank served in the United States Senate and was a pillar of the Democratic Party. Actor Deborah Messing, who's a liberal Democrat who supports me because she trusts me to make safer communities and improve the quality of life here in New York.

https://vod.prod.alticeustech.com/transcode/d70f2ce5-429a-44d7-b2f7-0d580c5fceba/d70f2ce5-429a-44d7-b2f7-0d580c5fceba.transcribe

tariffsny1CM

Advisors to, as you mentioned, aluminum, the wood shavings that go in the stalls for the animals. Governor, before, before that was, it didn't have to happen, before President Trump even put the tariffs in place, farmers have been complaining about your policies that make it harder for agriculture in our state, that they're overregulated. And let me ask you a question then. How come they're complaining? Why is it? That every place I go in upstate New York, they're telling me that it's harder and harder to do business. Why are they putting solar farms on their precious agricultural property, rich farmland, because they can't afford to do business in New York. They started doing that before President Trump became president. It's because of your policies that are ruining agriculture. I brought the largest dairy processing facility in North America. The dairy farmers are thrilled. Talk to a dairy farmer. They were struggling so hard, and I brought that. We've helped Chobani expand. We are using so much of our, our one of our greatest commodities, milk, and I've made life easier for them because they know I now, they now have an outlet for their products. But what has made life so hard is the fact that the raids on the farms, taking away their workers. In fact, talk to Mister Old McDonald's farm, a big Republican in the North Country who called. Me looking for help when ICE raided the farm at 6 a.m. on a Saturday and took a 3rd grader and her mother and her son, took them away, threw them in detention. A 3rd grader, you know where the father was? He was out milking cows because that's what you do on a farm. People are struggling from the tariffs, the immigration policies. If you're doing so well for the dairy farms, how come it's $1 more for a gallon of milk in New York State? Candidates, let me, let me.

https://vod.prod.alticeustech.com/transcode/4645553e-95f9-4a0b-b8e7-af8eac52aa55/4645553e-95f9-4a0b-b8e7-af8eac52aa55.transcribe

tariffs2ny1CM

Uh, Canadian provinces have been aggressively limiting US dairy imports, including dairy from New York farmers. If tariffs aren't the answer, what would be? They, they're at war with us right now. They cannot believe that their best friend, they cannot believe the best friend they've ever had, the United States of America, that always had their back, has now said they want to make them the fifty-first state. The Canadians are so insulted that they're not buying our products. They won't buy anything. They're not buying the wine from our wineries. Been up to an upstate winery lately. Talked to a farmer there. Talked to a grower. That we're, they've lost their their marketplace and it's all because of Donald Trump declaring war on one of our most loyal allies. Who does that? And we're all suffering because of that. So that's what exactly what's going on the tariffs. If he would only end the tariffs tomorrow, we could start seeing grocery prices start going, end the war with Iran, gas prices start coming down. None of this has to be the way, and you support every single thing that Donald Trump does. People should know that when they go in to vote on November 3rd.

https://vod.prod.alticeustech.com/transcode/2583b54f-5d26-44c3-a8e5-3efd94cbd0f4/2583b54f-5d26-44c3-a8e5-3efd94cbd0f4.transcribe

cornellrapeinvestigationny1CM

A story that's been getting national news and we're going to start with Ms. Hochel, the alleged gang rape of a student at Cornell University. State Attorney General Letitia James is being criticized for having made statements that suggest she's already prejudged the case. You have also made statements that sound like You have prejudged the case, including saying, quote, this woman, this young woman had already endured something that is utterly unspeakable. What do you say to legal experts who say James's statements could jeopardize the investigation as appearing impartial? Is that for me? Yes. Listen, I'm a mom. I've dropped a daughter off at a college campus. There should not be a culture that allows for a young woman to be so brutally attacked. And on a fraternity and then literally have the courage to go ask for help from law enforcement. You know how difficult it is for a victim to have to tell her story to strangers, but she did it. And also the evidence seemed very clear, and I'm not, I'm not prosecuting this case, seemed very clear that the, the boys in the fraternity were trying to cover up what they had done. There were a lot of acknowledgments, a lot of texts that were coming out. So I said this, I want there to be an independent investigation that's underway. But also when it became clear to me that the district attorney had already denied the opportunity to interview this young woman. I come from a family of prosecutors. You should know enough to interview a victim of a crime and not just dismiss it. That's why the law says the governor may shall appoint the governor shall appoint the attorney general in cases of special prosecutions. The attorney general can speak for herself on her tweet. Time. Thank you. So Mr. Blakeman, I wanted to just, can I just respond to that for a moment? My question is basically letting you follow up, and that is there is a push to expand the voluntary intoxication standard in the law. Do you support closing that law and how would you have approached this case if you were governor? So first of all, I absolutely do support that as a father, as a grandfather, first of all, if someone is intoxicated, maybe they're not unconscious, but if they're slurring their words and they're stumbling, you shouldn't engage in relations because I'm not sure that person has the capacity to consent. So I am for closing that loophole. I want to make it harder. And more stringent are laws about guys who would date rape women by giving them roofies in bars. I think we need to strengthen those laws. Kathy Hochle has already prejudged this case, but what I have to say to you, Kathy, is as follows. Where were you? What did you do? You are the trustee of Cornell University. You are the governor of the state. You fund Cornell University to the tune of $150 million a year. They're a partner of the state of New York, and as a trustee and as governor, you didn't call for an independent investigation when you found out that the district attorney was dropping the case. Shame on you. I did, you know. That's pretty pathetic to blame me for what happened in a fraternity. My gosh, no, I'm blaming you for the investigation afterwards. You deny that you were a trustee there. The university failed that young woman. Are you a member of the board? We're going to, we're going.

https://vod.prod.alticeustech.com/transcode/fc065a1f-65b2-4d09-b048-c36b89c349c0/fc065a1f-65b2-4d09-b048-c36b89c349c0.transcribe

crossexaminationny1CM

It, it is time for the cross-examination. That's when each of you gets to ask your adversary one question and then listen to the answer. uh, we'll let you go first, Mr. Blakeman. So Governor Holcomb. Under your sanctuary policies. A 14 year old girl was raped recently here in New York State by an illegal migrant. 4 Arondaquat residents were killed recently by an illegal migrant. 2 of those victims were children under the age of 5. Two Nassau County women in their thirties were killed by an illegal migrant because of your sanctuary policies. Will you apologize to that 14-year-old girl whose life is forever changed and her family and the families of those who were killed. The ones that'll never get to sit in another Thanksgiving dinner, never be able to open their presents, presents on their Christmas tree. Will you apologize to them and will you please return Sheridan Gorman's parents' calls to talk to you about your sanctuary policy? You know, any crime. It is heartbreaking. There's a family left. Within a huge hole in their heart. And I abhor all crimes regardless of the perpetrator. Victims deserve our sympathy. They deserve our compassion. And that's why I've laser focused on making New York so much more safer than it had been before. I have spent $4 billion to help law enforcement do their jobs. We have driven down crime to historic lows, especially violent crimes like shootings and murders, and that didn't come easy. That took a lot of work. I've had to change laws. I've had to allocate more money. But when you're talking about ICE, what I find so shocking is that when an American mother was murdered by ICE agents, you said. That her killing was justified. The killing of Renee Good was justified. And when asked about Alex Peretti, another American citizen killed by ICE, whether that was justified, you couldn't even answer the question. So I find those answers. Just reprehensible. So you won't apologize. I apologize for any pain that has happened to anyone. This is just the cross-examination. You won't call Sheridan Gorman's parents. That's the question and that's the answer. And now, um, Ms. Hochel, you have a question for Bruce Blakeman. Yes, I do. Just 4 days ago you stood on a stage screaming at the top of your lungs, we love Donald Trump. You've also said he's the greatest president of your lifetime. Now which is it that makes him so great? Is it the high utility costs, the high grocery costs, the high gas costs? Is it his unfettered use of ICE terrorizing our neighborhoods? Is it his throwing millions of New Yorkers off of healthcare? Which is it that makes him the greatest president in your opinion, which you have said so many times? Yeah, well, at a rally, um, as you know, it's a cheering section, and you say things to get the crowd worked up, and I think Donald Trump deserves. Accolades for many of the things that he's done. Obviously there are some disagreements in New York State with some of his policies, but I've differed with Donald Trump on various policies, policies. As I said, he's pro-life. I'm pro-choice. That's a big difference in the Republican Party. I stood up for what I believed in. Immigration policy. I believe that if you are an immigrant, and you've been in this state 789, 10 years, you haven't gotten in trouble, you're gainfully employed, we should have a guest worker permit for you. I believe in a guest worker permit program. But, you know, there's 22 years left in Donald Trump's, uh, tenure in office. And, um, I hope to see great things like stopping Iran from getting a nuclear weapon that threatens New York and all New Yorkers. And I also look forward to the fact that hopefully, we will get gas prices down, but you created the economic issues that have made. Last in economic outlook, Kathy Hochle, not Donald Trump. agrees that Donald Trump is the greatest president in his lifetime. I didn't hear anything disputing. Well, you know what, let me, let me say this in retrospect, I would say that Dwight D. Eisenhower was the greatest president, but Donald Trump has 2 more years. So let's see where it goes. Term's not over.

https://vod.prod.alticeustech.com/transcode/5eb4455b-4e7a-4ee9-b118-66fa0c731877/5eb4455b-4e7a-4ee9-b118-66fa0c731877.transcribe

lightningroundquestionsny1CM

We're gonna go to a lightning round now, OK, um, will you reopen Indian Point nuclear power plant, Kathy Hochland? I'm bringing nuclear to New York State at a scale this country has not seen in 30 years. I'm just waiting for approval, and I can do it. I have 8 communities that want it. I have 8 communities that want to host it. I'm ready to go. I'm just waiting for Washington to green light it. Yes or no or short answer. Bruce Blakeman, will you reopen Indian Point? I believe we should open Indian Point. I believe we should open up the other power plants that Cathy Hochle has closed. I believe we should extract natural gas from the Marcellus Shale. More energy increases the supply and lowers your costs. Mr. Blakeman, have you ever used a mail-in ballot? Not to my knowledge This whole I don't remember, uh, absentee when I was out of the area, but I don't think it was mail-in. I, I like to go in person. I really like to exercise my right to vote in person. Ms. Hochel, should the state label at least one bathroom in the Capitol complex as gender neutral? Yes, Bruce Blakeman. Well, first of all, I don't believe that biological males should use women's bathrooms and locker rooms, and I believe that biological males should not be competing in women's sports. We have to protect the integrity of women's sports and the safety of women's sports. Mr. Blakeman, if you could reverse one action that you've taken as an elected official, what would it be? One action that I've taken. You know, it, it's hard to say right now, but you know, nobody's perfect, and hindsight's always twenty-twenty. I'm sure I've made a mistake here and there throughout the years. Um, I rely on good people for advice, and when it's time to make a decision, I make the decision. Hopefully it's right. I do it in the best interest of the people of my county. Let me help you're raising taxes not once but twice in your county of the highest taxes. Oh my God, we're gonna talk about 1998, Cathy. So let's talk about history, Cathy. Cathy, you were pro-NRA. Now you're against guns. You wanted to give illegal migrants. You didn't want to give illegal migrants driver's licenses when you're the county clerk. Now you're giving it to them. Come on, Cathy. You're gonna talk about something I did 28 years ago. Miss Ogle. I will admit I made a mistake. Kathy Hochle won't, but I'll admit I made a hole, Miss Hochle, almost the highest in the country for as mayor, as county clerk, as member of Congress, as lieutenant governor. If you could reverse one action you've taken as an elected official, as governor, what would it be? I would say this, I wish I had not, uh, I wish I had fought harder to get more housing built in my first year. I had to come back the next year. It was difficult. I overcame a lot of opposition. But when you find out that Bruce Blakeman's county, Nassau County, is listed as the lowest number of housing units almost in America being built, no wonder he brags about the fact that the average housing price or the median housing price is $900,000. Talk about lack of affordability, high property taxes, can't afford to buy. I respond to that? I reject. I wish I had been able to fight harder. I would love to respond to that. So you're. Faulting me. If you bought a house 4 years ago in Nassau County for $600,000 it's now worth $850,000 because of my policies. I have created a quarter of a million dollars in wealth for you and your families. Cathy Hoker wants to take that away with taxes. I'm proud of the fact that I created that wealth for your family. OK, a young family trying to get a home in Nassau County. I guess if you don't have $900,000 you're out of luck.

https://vod.prod.alticeustech.com/transcode/4d426f3e-4069-4099-badb-14d6d16975f0/4d426f3e-4069-4099-badb-14d6d16975f0.transcribe

artificaldatacentersny1CM

The rise of artificial intelligence is transforming the global economy. It has galvanized an international debate over how to use the technology, who will benefit, and who will pay the cost. I'll start with you, uh, Ms. Hochel. You were the first to issue a moratorium on data center facilities with other governors from both parties following suit. Lawmakers are now urging you to take it a step further and sign. moratorium bill that would impact existing data centers. The question is, will you sign that legislation? Why or why not? You know my policy. I know you try. Nice try. I don't say what I'm going to do before I have a chance to evaluate the bills. I get over 800 bills on my desk, but I am proud that we are first in the nation with the moratorium for one year on data centers. I am going to make sure. That if they come here and the host community wants them, that number one, that community gets substantial benefits, millions of dollars that they should get for every megawatt of power used, and they have to bring their own power. They also have to find ways to reduce the noise and, and manage the water situation. So if they do come and it's up to the localities. I want them to have a community framework, but we didn't have enough power. We have 30 applications in front of us right now. If we approved all of them, we wouldn't be able to turn on the lights in New York. And so I'm trying to have a smart policy. We are pro-technology, pro innovation. That's why more tech companies have come to New York State than in recent history than they ever have. We actually surpassed Silicon Valley and San Francisco for the most number of tech jobs. So, so we know how to embrace technology, take a strong look at the impact of those who are going to be displaced by technology. I have a commission studying how we can help people with. Free community college, be able to have new jobs, but also saying data centers, no. And also Brookhaven, town of Brookhaven and Islip. They have moratoriums. Let's let, can I respond? You can respond. First of all, when you say you don't say what you're gonna do before you do it, you say what you're gonna do and then you don't do it. You said we weren't gonna have congestion pricing, then we had congestion pricing. So, uh, you did a complete U-turn there. That's just a tax on the middle class. But let me talk about data centers. You put a ban in because you said that you needed time to figure it out. What have you been doing for the last 4 years? This is the fastest growing industry in the world. Water supply is an issue. Energy is an issue. Tax stabilization is an issue. Why didn't you get all the stakeholders in the same room and figure it out instead of saying no to the fastest growing industry in the world? That's why we're number 50 in economic outlook. That's why thousands of people are leaving our state. That's why thousands of jobs are leaving our state each and every day. I want all of you out there to hear this. He said, That my one year pause, my moratorium on data centers was crazy. He supports Donald Trump, who said only Poor dumb people support opposing opposing this. I want to say I've traveled all of New York State. There's a high level of anxiety about what these hyper scale massive data centers will do, and I know it fits into your vision for upstate New York because you also want oil rigs. And, and gas rigs all over New York to drill your oil and grow your drill your gas. You wanna see data centers there. You want smoke, smoke stacks everywhere. I've seen that world. We don't wanna go back with respect, with respect to upstate people. You took their right away to make decisions about data centers. You took that right away with the ban, and then you said that upstaters weren't sophisticated enough to make important choices. Let me tell you something about upstaters because I've been traveling all around upstate and you forgot where you came from. They have something you don't have common sense and good judgment.

https://vod.prod.alticeustech.com/transcode/a2091f3f-b96b-440b-b8ba-f9ba2ba832a7/a2091f3f-b96b-440b-b8ba-f9ba2ba832a7.transcribe

aidatacenters2ny1CM

Mr. Blakeman, though, let me ask, um, not all counties are as large or as well funded as Nassau. What about some of the smaller counties that need to negotiate with some of these multi-billion-dollar, uh, tech giants? Well, I'll tell you, I've, I've spoken to a lot of upstate local officials, and I can tell you, and I can assure you that they are pretty sharp. Look, don't minimize what New Yorkers are capable of doing just because they come from a small town. I think that's a bias. Just like Kathy Hochle said, the black kids in the Bronx don't know what a computer is. Do you even know that in your schools, Kathy Hochle, that you fund, that in 6th grade they get computers in the classroom? They know more about computers than you'll ever know.

https://vod.prod.alticeustech.com/transcode/ca9dec65-620f-4ce7-8e8d-e7fd7a28c788/ca9dec65-620f-4ce7-8e8d-e7fd7a28c788.transcribe

aiincampaignadsny1CM

Let, let's, let's, uh, I, I've got another AI related question for both of you. uh, artificial intelligence, um, is being used in this campaign, especially by you, Mr. Blakeman, in political ads. Um, should there be stricter regulation of how AI is used in ads in order to ensure that they're not misleading? I'll start with you, Mr. Blakeman. Well, we do have a disclaimer on our ads that said we use AI. And look, AI. It's just another tool. I mean, I guess, you know, we can go back to using a buggy whip and drive it around in, you know, horse-drawn buggies and get rid of cars. Although Kathy Hochle wants to get rid of gas cars and make everybody drive electric cars. But the fact of the matter is that as far as I'm concerned, I believe in the ingenuity of New Yorkers. My trust is in New Yorkers to make those important decisions. Um, it's hopeful. Do we need, uh, additional regulation on how AI is used in ads? Yes, uh, just look at what he did this summer. He has so little to say about me on my record that he literally has to go to an AI generated ad to say something bad about me, and he's trying to mislead the voters, and I think this is so pathetic. It is so Trumpian, in fact. Let's, let's, let, let, well, you're the one who says he's the greatest president. You love him, so you, those are and you blame him for everything that you've done in the state to make us number 5 economic outlook to the question. I'm sorry to interrupt. Go ahead, back to the question that we were asked. My apologies. No, we should not have AI generated ads. I had a bill in, in the legislature that said within 90 days of an election. That you should not even just have your tiny little disclaimer that nobody sees. You should just not use it. I'm gonna revisit that because I believe in election integrity. I don't believe we should be having stolen elections or paling around with Qing on. Conspiracy theorists or election deniers and white supremacists, I mean like my opponent does, he pals around with all these people. That's why he has no trouble lying in ads. Shame on AI calling me palling around with white supremacists. I never went around with white supremacists, OK, I'm offended by that. But let's, let's talk about your record. I'll give you what you said of black about black kids in the Bronx, you know what.

https://vod.prod.alticeustech.com/transcode/030da13a-9d96-400d-8a20-c494dbe0786b/030da13a-9d96-400d-8a20-c494dbe0786b.transcribe

publicsafetyny1CM

This is something we, we definitely need to talk about, which is public safety. By multiple measures, crime in our state has fallen to the lowest level in decades. New York City recently experienced its safest summer on record for shooting incidents, shooting victims and murders. Of course, other forms of crime and disorder, including auto theft, assaults, and hate crimes have remained stubbornly high. What's the solution? What do you think, uh, is working and what isn't working? And let's start with you, Mr. Blakeman. Well, first of all, she'll never give Donald Trump any, any accolades for sealing our borders. Maybe that's why the shootings are down. Maybe that's why all the fentanyl deaths are down, not by anything that you did. But let me say this about crime. If you walk into any CVS or Walgreens and you want to buy a bottle of shampoo, in Kathy Hochle's world, you got to ring a buzzer. A store clerk has to come out, unlock a glass door for you to buy a bottle of shampoo in New York State. It's because we have a revolving door of criminality, cashless bail, raise the age, the Halt Act, and you talk about militias. You're the only one on the stage that has a militia. You have two, the National Guard and the State Guard, and you have the National Guard at the cost of a billion dollars a year to the taxpayers because you fired corrections officers who said these prisons are not only safe for corrections officers, they're not safe for the prisoners. And you fired them and put the National Guard in there. You're the one that used the militia, not me. Do people know that his crime fighting strategy for Nassau County Is his own personal mega militia which has family members, his Republican donors, and some people are crazy enough that they literally bring a loaded gun to JFK Airport. And he also doesn't fight for himself. He doesn't stand up to Donald Trump ever. You'll never see that because Donald Trump took away a million dollars in public safety money intended to go for police and fire. And you didn't say a word about it. You didn't criticize Donald Trump. I stood up. I was able to fight with Donald Trump as I had many times, a lot of wins. I had to get $100 million back to help fund our police and our fire. You don't even have the spine to stand up to Donald Trump because they're taking money from your own county. I do not have a militia. Only you have a militia. And by the way, they're good people. They don't want to be in the jails. They don't want to be in the prisons. They're not trained to do that. But when you talk about Donald Trump, Donald Trump, Donald Trump, that's all you can talk about because you have a record of failure and misery for the people who live in this state. Let me, let me, I did not wrap myself in the shroud of Donald Trump the way you did. No, you wrap it in. Run, hold on, hold on, hold on, who Donald Trump actually thinks is a great mayor. Let's get Ms. Hochel on the question on the table, which is, uh, we have some crimes that are going down, some that are not. What, what do you think is working? What's not working? What can people expect if you are elected? You know, we have gotten 26,000 guns off the streets. When I became governor, it was gun crime that was skyrocketing, so we tackled that. Uh, retail theft. I've, I gave millions of dollars to our district attorneys to change the laws and give them what they need to be able to reduce those crimes. Those crimes are going down. Auto theft was going up as well as the staged car crashes. I literally just changed the laws, taking on some really difficult interests in Albany. And I came out on top because I said there's no reason why New Yorkers should pay the highest auto insurance premiums in the nation. Our drivers aren't any worse. So what I did was I stood up, I changed the law, and you'll start to see a num large number of cases being brought by prosecutors that we're funding stopping those staged car crashes that are driving up costs. But whatever the issue is, when it pops up, we go at it. I, I'm not done with solving.

https://vod.prod.alticeustech.com/transcode/dc31db1f-1b1f-4d48-80aa-99989e806143/dc31db1f-1b1f-4d48-80aa-99989e806143.transcribe

prisonsafetyny1CM

19 months since thousands of correction officers returned to work after a three week illegal strike. Despite an ongoing recruitment campaign, there are fewer corrections officers than at this time 1 year ago. That's a 56% vacancy. Among prison workers. Meanwhile, there are National Guard troops working in our prisons, um, costing taxpayers a billion dollars since the strike. What do you say to explain this failure to attract workers and was it a mistake to fire the striking workers? When someone who's charged and took an oath of office to protect people inside a facility. Engages in a wildcat illegal strike and walks off the job, leaving Other guards, other healthcare workers and people in the kitchen, and The incarcerated population, leaving them alone, literally jeopardizing the safety of an entire community, they walked out the door and shut it. What do you want me to do? I sure as hell will fire them. I will say you violated the law. Shame on you, and we can resolve all the problems that you have. But I think a lot of it had to do with the fact that there have been a lot of public outcry and attention, the fact that that very week, that very day. That they walked out. There were supposed to be indictments on a number of them for the murder of an incarcerated individual. They were trying to deflect, and yes, there are challenges, and we're trying hard to recruit more people. I've changed the age. I've, I've, uh, launched an aggressive program. To make it easier to take the test, to go into our communities, go into churches and all over the state trying to get more people to do it. But in the meantime, I will not leave our populations unprotected the way he would do it. I have the same question for an oath as well. You took an oath as well. To support the Constitution of the United States and you've violated federal laws on and on again. You are paying illegal migrants with our taxpayer money, $8 billion for free food, free housing, free transportation, a free cell phone. They get more than we do. And think about this. If you get out of work, if you're laid off, if you're fired, and you want to get unemployment, You get less benefits as a New Yorker than the $81,000 of your taxpayer money that Kathy Hochle spends each year on illegal migrants in our state. I will end our sanctuary state status on day one as governor. The topic on the table is prisons and how would you handle an illegal strike on your watch and, and how would you bolster recruitment? Well, first of all, there never would have been a strike had I been governor. Everybody strikes under Kathy Hochle. The nurses strike, the railroad workers strike because she won't sit at the table and talk about issues that are important to the workers here in New York State. She is the most anti-union governor in the history of the state of New York. She brought in nurses from out of state. Our nurses, our New York nurses were saying that there wasn't enough coverage to take care of the patients, so they went on strike. You bought in out of state workers. To break that strike line. The Long Island Railroad, they went on strike. Time and time again, you have failed to engage the people that work for you. This corrections officers strike never should have happened. You should have listened to them. And by the way, it's not just the corrections officers. The prisoners are complaining now that it's unsafe under your policies of having violent criminals engage with people in the general population. 30 seconds for Hochel and then we're moving on. I have the most pro-labor record of any governor. In decades, and they know that that's why I have the endorsements of all the major unions. They know I stand up and fight like hell for them to make sure they have the conditions they deserve and the and the benefits they deserve, and they know I have their back as someone who's worked with union workers my entire life. But when you bring up something like the nurses, I stand with the nurses. I know how hard they work. But you would say that's better when nurses are striking out front as they're allowed legally to do that I shouldn't make sure that there's someone standing at the bed of someone who's sick and dying that I should just leave them alone. I had no choice. I'll always stand up with New Yorkers if I had to bring. Someone from somewhere else, I'm sorry. I did not want to do that, but I said I cannot jeopardize the safety governor and the health of our residents. As governor, I would have gotten actively engaged in the negotiations to make sure there was no strike. That's what leaders do.

https://vod.prod.alticeustech.com/transcode/5f6642a5-b323-4dab-b352-e00d95fc3124/5f6642a5-b323-4dab-b352-e00d95fc3124.transcribe

combattingantisemitismny1CM

Audio obtained by The New York Times shows you Mr. Blakeman told attendees at a Hasidic event that quote, If there is rioting here, if they're burning down yeshivas in your schuls and burning down your house and raping your women, you think Zoran Mamdani is going to stop them. First of all, who exactly were you referring to the they, and do you stand by those remarks? So first of all, they are the professional protesters that took over Columbia University that blocked our bridges and our roadways with a law. Lawlessness that took place while Kathy Hochle wouldn't protect Jewish students at Columbia University, Jews who are being attacked all around our state. Zoran Mandami is an anti-Semite. The first thing he did as mayor with all the issues that face New York City, the first thing he did. was signed an executive order to water down the definition of anti-Semitism. Shame on you, Mayor. You are campaigning around the state with a guy who doesn't believe in American values. He talks about collectivism. That means you take personal property rights away. You take other people's property rights. This is a guy that's anti-Christian, couldn't find an hour out of his day to Attend the installation of a new archbishop here in New York City, the biggest religion in the city of New York. Look, if you want to campaign with him, that's fine, but I will tell you right now, I think Zora Mandami is an anti-Semite. I believe he's anti-Christian, and I don't think he has American values. Governor. I'm actually gonna answer your question since you asked about the conversation he had at a secret meeting where he basically said that NYPD under the leadership of Jessica Tisch. would not respond to this neighborhood. If there were women being raped and people being murdered and riots in the streets, he didn't said he would not trust them to show up. I stand with the men and women in blue every day of the week. I know how hard they work. They put their lives on the line, and I support the leadership of Jessica Tisch. But for you to say that they would stand down is just insulting all those men and women. First of all, let's put it, let's call it the way it is. I'm talking about political leaders getting involved in law enforcement when they shouldn't be. Like what happened under David Dinkins when he waited 3 days before he stopped the rioting in Crown Heights. I have a lot of confidence in Jessica Tisch. As a matter of fact, if there's a compliment I could give to Zoran Mandami, it's in keeping her as the police commissioner. But let's be clear, anti-Semitism is on the rise, and it's occurred under your watch, and Zoran Mandami is fueling it.

https://vod.prod.alticeustech.com/transcode/4ecc42ae-53f9-4300-babc-a3e885d64732/4ecc42ae-53f9-4300-babc-a3e885d64732.transcribe

medicaidny1CM

I wanted to ask this to both of you. Medicaid makes up about a third of the state budget. Uh, under the five budgets enacted since you became governor, Ms. Hochle, the state's share of Medicaid has grown by about $21 billion which is 4 times the rate of inflation with no major expansion of benefits. It seems unsustainable, but the question is, if we're not, if we're going to continue down this road, what will you cut? What will, how will we make that budget work? No, I've already had to look at this, and much of it is set by formula. We find out at the beginning of the year what we're required to do. With that being said, I went after and found a program where I cut out the first year, $1 billion worth of abuse that was being. Ignored from many people before my time and we fought back and now those savings are up to $2 billion but I'll tell you what I would not do. I'll continue focusing on this, but my opponent said he'll cut Medicaid in half now to do that. I want to know which hospitals you're shutting down, which nursing homes you're going to shut down, and where grandma's going to go when she has nowhere to stay, and you're going to throw more people off of health insurance. That's your vision for New York. It is certainly not mine. We'll manage our costs. We've been able to do this. Without having to raise any income taxes, I'm, that's called good fiscal stewardship. The fact that I can do all this, find out some fraud and waste, we've eliminated it. We have more to go, but also by not raising taxes is something that we're going to continue doing. Let me be clear, I never said that I would cut Medicaid in half. What I did say is that the Medicaid costs to the taxpayers of New York State. are more than Texas and Florida combined. There are 5 million people who are eligible for Medicaid and deserve it and deserve better services and more quality services, but 8 million people, 3 million more are getting benefits. How do you explain the fact that 5 million people are eligible and 8 million people are getting benefits? That's why our costs are out of control.

https://vod.prod.alticeustech.com/transcode/445362e5-f7ef-4f48-ad65-3b1852a58eee/445362e5-f7ef-4f48-ad65-3b1852a58eee.transcribe

lightningroundquestions2ny1CM

We have time for a, a short lightning round before we conclude and, um, I'll start with you, Mr. Blakeman. Should the dangers of artificial intelligence be treated like any other form of product liability? Well, I think yes, I think basically if any kind of injury to the public occurs and it's because of the negligence or the hazards uh of a business doing business that people have a right to be compensated for that as it is with any other industry. OK, Ms. Hochle. We have passed one of the strongest laws in the nation called the RISE Act to deal with, uh, critical incidences that could occur because of AI going unfettered or out of control. So we are nation leading once again. I'm proud of that, but this technology is evolving so quickly that we have to be laser focused, which is why I set up an entire. Office and hired the best in the nation to staff this to make sure that we we manage this the best way we can, but there have to be consequences. That's why those companies are on notice. You operate in New York State. We have laws to protect our children and our residents. So would you, are you going to raise income taxes, Governor Hochul? No. I'm gonna cut income taxes. Our state budget is twice the size of the state of Florida, and there's 4 million more people in Florida. That's because of the fraud, waste, and abuse under the Hochel administration. I will cut your taxes. I've cut middle class tax rates to the lowest it's been in 70 years. They've gone up $8 billion. I've cut. The middle class tax rates the lowest it's been in 70 years. Mr. Blakeman, they've gone up $8 billion since you've been governor. Mr. Blakeman, New York One is go to my social media. I have the facts and the documents to back that up. Mayor Mamdani and the city council, Mr. Blakeman, have reached a deal to ban New York City's horse carriage industry after a series of safety incidents. Is that the right move? Well, you know, I'm nostalgic for the horse-drawn carriages in, in New York, but I understand the issues and we have to protect animal rights here in our state, and I'm a big supporter of that. I've enacted laws for animal rights, but at the same time, we also have to think of the consequences of the people who may lose their jobs. Yes or no? Did you, uh. I, I will look into it. It just happened today, but I'll look into it. But I think we have to have a balanced approach to it, Ms. Ogle. You better let John Samuelson know your position, and I support what they did.

https://vod.prod.alticeustech.com/transcode/bef9cfe5-f659-4c7e-90cf-414047c6e641/bef9cfe5-f659-4c7e-90cf-414047c6e641.transcribe

Hochul and Blakeman discussed affordability, taxes and public safety, among other major topics.

Local News

Crime

Weather

Politics

Local News

Crime

Weather

Politics

News

Community

N12 Originals

Investigative

Entertainment

Science & Health

Choose Your Region

Be the first to know

News

Community

N12 Originals

Investigative

Entertainment

Science & Health

Change

Be the first to know

More Stories

More from News 12

Vote 2026: Westchester/Hudson Valley election voting guide

Vote 2026: Race for New York State Comptroller

Incumbent George Hoehmann to take on Democratic challenger Eugene Bondar in Clarkstown supervisor rematch

Paul Feiner declares victory in primary race for Greenburgh town supervisor

Democrat Cait Conley declares victory in race for 17th Congressional District

Who won? New York primary election results from across the region

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

Ad Choices

Privacy Manager