NYC Mayor Mamdani Accuses Blakeman of 'Bigotry and Racism' After Gubernatorial Debate
Mamdani admits he did not watch the full debate between Gov. Hochul and Republican challenger Bruce Blakeman before making accusations.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has accused Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman of "bigotry and racism," despite admitting he did not watch Blakeman's debate with Gov. Kathy Hochul live. Mamdani made the remarks to reporters on Wednesday following the Tuesday night debate.
When asked if he was concerned that Hochul had not responded to Blakeman's claims that Mamdani is an antisemite, Mamdani stated, "I think, you know, it is hard for anyone to keep up with all of the bigotry and racism that Bruce Blakeman exhibits on a regular basis." He added, "I’ll never fault someone for not being able to catch all of it because that is a fool’s errand when it comes to Bruce Blakeman."
Mamdani clarified that while he "didn’t watch the debate beyond the clip," he believed the governor had articulated her vision for a more affordable New York. He contrasted this with Blakeman, whose vision, Mamdani suggested, seems focused on making life harder for working people. As examples, Mamdani cited Blakeman's past criticisms of universal childcare initiatives and his statements regarding potential Medicaid cuts.
The debate itself began with discussions surrounding the conduct of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in New York City, particularly after a recent incident in the Bronx where an ICE agent shot a man who allegedly refused to comply with orders. Blakeman criticized Hochul's administration for its "sanctuary policies," arguing that they contribute to such incidents. He claimed that his own county had previously removed over 2,000 individuals with criminal records by cooperating with ICE, asserting that such cooperation leads to safer communities.
Hochul, in turn, called Blakeman's response to the ICE incident a "non-answer" for his refusal to condemn the actions of the ICE agent. She questioned Blakeman's stance, suggesting he was indifferent to the potential danger posed to civilians, including a 5-year-old child in the vehicle during the Bronx shooting. Hochul stated that ICE's actions were "out of control in Nassau County."
Blakeman countered that the ICE shooting "never would have happened" if not for Hochul's "sanctuary policy."