Trump Urges New Yorkers to Vote for Blakeman, Calls Hochul the State's 'Worst Governor'

President Donald Trump made a late appeal to New York voters on Saturday, urging them to elect Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman and branding the incumbent, Gov. Kathy Hochul, as the state's "worst governor."

Trump, speaking during a tele-rally that also promoted campaigns for attorney general and a congressional seat, characterized Hochul's leadership as "failed and incompetent." "She has been a disaster, and I can tell you that Bruce has been a friend of mine for a long time," Trump stated, praising Blakeman for his management of Nassau County. He cited a U.S. News & World Report designation of Nassau County as one of the nation's safest.

Despite recent polls showing Hochul with a significant lead, Trump expressed confidence in Blakeman's chances. "I bet he’s going to be one of the first calls if he wins, and he’ll get tremendous help from the federal government," Trump said, adding a jab about the difficulty of assisting ineffective leaders.

Hochul's campaign responded by criticizing Blakeman's alignment with Trump. "Blakeman started with the promise to ‘bring Trump-style leadership to Albany,’ and his closing message is telling people how little he regrets going full Trump in this campaign," said Hochul spokesperson Ryan Radulovack. The campaign asserted that Hochul has focused on public safety and economic relief, contrasting it with Blakeman's support for Trump's actions.

During the tele-rally, Trump also briefly addressed international affairs, claiming the war with Iran was nearing an end. "We’re winning very easily the war with Iran," he said. "They’re talking to us. They’re negotiating, but they do a lot of talking. And we’ll see what happens." He asserted that Iran's navy and air force had been destroyed and that the nation would not acquire nuclear weapons.