Blakeman dismisses polls, accuses Hochul of ‘nightmare’ governance
Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman disputed recent polling data on Saturday, asserting that the race against Governor Kathy Hochul remains exceptionally close. Speaking at a rally in Middle Village, Queens, attended by over 100 supporters, Blakeman dismissed polls released midweek by Siena and Marist, which indicated Hochul leading by 14 and 11 percentage points, respectively, as “inaccurate” and a “virtual dead heat.”
Blakeman drew a parallel to the 1994 election when former Republican Governor George Pataki overcame similar polling predictions. Among those present at the Juniper Valley Park rally were Queens GOP Chairman Tony Nunziato, Councilwoman Joann Ariola, and former Councilman Robert Holden.
Throughout the day, Blakeman planned to engage in voter outreach, including appearances at Halloween parades in Maspeth and Glendale, and meetings on the Upper East Side. Governor Hochul’s schedule included campaign stops in Huntington and Brookhaven on Long Island, and in Brooklyn and Queens.
The gubernatorial campaigns engaged in Halloween-themed criticisms on Saturday. Blakeman’s social media platforms featured digitally created images depicting Hochul as a witch, accompanied by the message, “Forget witches. The real Halloween nightmare is four more years of Kathy Hochul! DITCH THE WITCH!” on X.
In response, Hochul’s campaign distributed an email criticizing Blakeman’s “emergency special deputy sheriffs” program, describing it as a “militia clusterf**k.”
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“Blakeman insisting gov race is "dead heat,' compares Hochul to a 'witch'”
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