Hochul and Blakeman Set for Sole New York Debate

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Republican nominee Bruce Blakeman were scheduled to meet Tuesday night in the only debate of the state’s gubernatorial race, with Hochul leading in recent polls and Blakeman seeking a high-profile opportunity to introduce himself to voters statewide. The debate was scheduled to air on Spectrum News NY1 at 7 p.m. on October 13, three weeks before Election Day. The preview described Hochul’s polling advantage as ranging from 9 to 19 percentage points, with the two most recent polls showing leads of 11 and 12 points. The underlying polls and their field dates were not specified. The candidates were expected to focus on affordability, immigration and artificial intelligence, although the debate’s actual discussion and outcome were not yet known. Recent polling cited in the preview found affordability to be New Yorkers’ top concern. A Quinnipiac poll was cited as finding immigration more motivating for Republicans than Democrats. Hochul enacted a one-year pause on new data-center construction, a move Blakeman has criticized as harmful to businesses and developers.