New York Gov. Kathy Hochul appeared with Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at a Buffalo Bills watch party in Queens on Sunday, marking a campaign appearance in the final weekend before the gubernatorial election. Hochul stated that the progressive politicians "want to be with me" and expressed confidence that their support would not alienate moderate voters.
"They want to support me and I’m grateful to have such a broad base of individuals with different perspectives who are joining our coalition to make sure Democrats win big," Hochul told reporters at Murphy’s Sports Bar in Astoria. The pair of Democratic socialists reportedly left the venue 20 minutes before the governor, with some patrons describing the bar as sparsely populated during their presence.
One attendee, Jose Rodriguez Jr., 39, said he and his girlfriend left to find another place to watch the game. "This is the place we come for the games, but this… no," he stated.
Hochul, who is anticipated to win against challenger Bruce Blakeman, emphasized the seriousness with which she is approaching the election's final days. "I’m taking this so seriously because what we do here in New York will have an effect on the future of this country," she said.
The governor also expressed a desire for a Democratic sweep in the upcoming midterm elections, stating, "If we make Hakeem Jeffries our speaker, all of a sudden we can just put up a firewall up there and stop the insanity and start taking back our country." The gubernatorial race has garnered national attention, with former President Donald Trump calling Hochul "the worst governor in the history of New York State" and urging New Yorkers to vote for Blakeman.