In his campaign efforts, Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman is trying to connect his opponent, Democratic incumbent Kathy Hochul, to socialist New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. This connection is highlighted in new mailers targeting voters in areas outside of New York City.
One of the mailers boldly states, “Say No to Socialism. Say No to Hochul and Mamdani,” and it has been distributed to households in Westchester County.
The material accuses Hochul of spending state tax dollars to advance Mamdani’s socialist agenda.
It claims, “You are not their priority. You struggle to afford groceries, gas, and rent, yet Hochul has spent nearly $5 billion of your tax money on illegal migrants and Mamdani’s socialist wish list.”
Additionally, the mailer highlights increasing costs such as property taxes and electricity, attributing them to Hochul’s alleged implementation of Mamdani’s agenda.
It continues to say, “Under Hochul & Mamdani, Westchester is getting more expensive and less safe,” which is paired with images of the two politicians behind a couple anxiously looking at their bills.
Blakeman’s platform promises to “stop Kathy Hochul and Zohran Mamdani’s attacks on your wallet” if he is elected governor.
In response, Hochul emphasized that she has provided significant state aid—totaling $8 billion over two years—to help city leaders like Mamdani tackle New York City’s substantial budget deficit.
This aid includes a new tax on luxury second homes and other funding to support Mamdani’s universal child care program for 2-year-olds.
Blakeman’s use of Mamdani as a negative example follows Hochul’s campaign, which has spent millions on TV ads linking Blakeman to an unpopular former President Trump in New York.
Ryan Radulovacki, a spokesperson for Hochul’s campaign, accused Blakeman of mistakenly holding Hochul responsible for rising gas prices, stating that the increase is due to Trump’s actions concerning Iran.
According to Radulovacki, “New Yorkers want a governor who takes on Trump’s terrible economic policies and puts money back in their pockets, and they’ve got one in Governor Hochul. Blakeman has defended Trump’s record-high gas prices and opposes the governor’s tariff relief for farmers.”
Blakeman, who has received Trump’s endorsement, argued that the conflict with Iran was necessary despite the potential for higher gas prices, saying, “This is a war that had to be fought. Yes, there will be short-term pain but there will be long-term gain. … They hate us, they hate America.”
