NEW YORK (PIX11) — As Election Day nears, Rep. Lee Zeldin, the Republican candidate for governor in New York, on Wednesday agreed to face off against incumbent Gov. Kathy Hochul in a debate on PIX11 News.
He and Hochul will square off in the election on Nov. 8. Zeldin called for at least five debates across the state ahead of the election. Hochul has not yet accepted debate invitations from PIX11 or any other news network.
“New Yorkers deserve the opportunity to witness first hand where the two candidates for governor stand on the issues most important to voters,” Zeldin said.
He wants to face Hochul at least twice in the New York City area, at least once in the Buffalo or Rochester area, at least once in the Capital Region and at least once in the Syracuse, Elmira, Binghamton, Ithaca or Watertown media markets. Zeldin has already accepted a debate invitation from CBS2.
The Long Island congressman, who beat out Rob Astorino, Andrew Giuliani, and Harry Wilson in the primary, will have a tough fight against Hochul. New York is one of the bluest states in the country. There are more than twice as many registered Democrats in New York as there are Republicans. Democrats have held the governor’s mansion for 15 years in New York.
Hochul took over as governor following Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s resignation in August of 2021. She’s the first woman to serve as governor in New York.
