Politics

New York governor race enters final stretch: Blakeman tours NYC, Hochul kicks off early voting in Buffalo

With 10 days to go before the November 3 election, Republican Bruce Blakeman hit three corners of New York City on Saturday to deliver his affordability message, while Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul returned to her hometown of Buffalo to kick off the first day of early voting.

Blakeman, the Nassau County executive, stopped at the Staten Island Republican Party headquarters in New Dorp before crossing the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge to the Brooklyn GOP office in Dyker Heights. In Brooklyn, he vowed to end New York City's sanctuary city status and put more money in New Yorkers' pockets by lowering taxes, and jabbed at Hochul's brief joint appearance Friday with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

Hochul holds a 14-point lead over Blakeman heading into the final stretch, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday. In Buffalo, she rallied Erie County Democrats alongside Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz, Congressman Tim Kennedy and Buffalo Mayor Sean Ryan, then cast her own ballot.

“This community made me who I am, and yes, this is a tough, rough, and tumble business,” Hochul said. “It's not for the faint of heart, but I draw the strength from this community that has been knocked down and counted out so many times in my lifetime.”

Sources: New York Post (Oct 24, 2026); WAMC (Oct 24, 2026).

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