The atmosphere grew tense. During a rapid-fire segment of last Thursday’s debate, Letitia James, the Democratic Attorney General of New York, running for her third consecutive term, faced a straightforward question: Who is a former state AG that you admire?
She hesitated, responding with a drawn-out “Um.”
Name one former New York Attorney General you admire. Letitia James: 🦗🦗🦗 https://t.co/ab8SqvPgFZ
— Saritha Komatireddy (@sarithaforny) October 9, 2026
After several seconds, the moderator light-heartedly remarked, “Tick-tock.”
In the meantime, her Republican challenger, Saritha Komatireddy, took a sharp jab, quipping, “She only admires herself.”
James quickly countered, “No, no, no. We admire others. I admire all the past attorney generals because it’s a difficult job and you’ve got to stand up—”
The moderator interrupted her and turned to Komatireddy, who quickly named her choice.
“Dennis Vacco,” she stated confidently. “At a time when New York State needed it, we had another former federal prosecutor become an attorney general and bring law and order to the state.”
This moment gained traction on social media, along with other earlier incidents, including a misstep by James where she mentioned, “You don’t have to look at the facts and the law,” when asked about prediction markets. This encapsulated the debate, which was quickly labeled an “October Surprise” for James.
“You don’t have to look at the facts and the law.”- Letitia James https://t.co/jm8mYT7nrT
— Saritha Komatireddy (@sarithaforny) October 9, 2026
Throughout the debate, James made attempts to label Komatireddy as a puppet of Donald Trump, trying to intertwine national political themes into a state-level contest. Despite this, Komatireddy maintained her focus, showcasing her extensive qualifications, particularly her tenure as a federal prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, where she concentrated on counterterrorism post-9/11.
Her performance was characterized by straightforwardness and a lack of embellishment—an expected style from someone who managed significant court cases involving cartels and terrorism—but it also had glimpses of authenticity, like her admission that the last book she read was “The Little Blue Truck,” her child’s favorite. James countered with Jamie Raskin’s book, “Unthinkable: Trauma, Truth, and the Trials of American Democracy,” a response that seemed carefully crafted by political advisors.
In a one-on-one conversation with the Daily Caller, Komatireddy shared personal experiences of how crime in New York has impacted her family, referencing an alleged assault on a relative that she touched upon during the debate.
“A member of my family was assaulted on the subway,” Komatireddy recounted. “They were taking my older boys to school, not my younger ones. But a couple of years ago, we lived a few subway stops away from their school, which was part of our daily routine. I’d prefer not to name who it was to respect their privacy, but this is real; it’s something we dealt with every day.”
Statistics show that most crime categories in New York City decreased in the first half of 2026, with the exceptions of rape and felony assault. Homicides dropped by 21 percent; burglaries by 15.2 percent; robberies by 11.8 percent; and car thefts by nearly 10 percent, according to NYPD data. However, homicides and shootings still remain about 25 percent higher than their pre-pandemic levels. (RELATED: NYC Hate Crimes Skyrocketed By 15.8% In Past Year, NYPD States)
Still, many New Yorkers that Komatireddy has encountered during her campaign have shared feelings of insecurity.
“A family friend experienced a stray bullet entering her bedroom while she was asleep,” Komatireddy revealed. “Fortunately, she’s fine; it went right above her. But it’s alarming. I spoke with her afterward, and she expressed, ‘What happened? I’ve lived here for 30 years. This neighborhood has never been like this.’”
She also recounted a moment with a homeless individual while walking with her son in Central Park.
“I used to take him through the park often for a weekly class. It was around October or November, chilly in the evening, and I noticed a man lying there with his belongings,” Komatireddy explained. “We thought, ‘I hope he’s okay.’ Just as we were about to approach him, a police car arrived and two officers stepped out. I felt a wave of relief. They checked on him then got back in their car and left. My son looks at me and asks, ‘Why isn’t that man in a hotel? Why isn’t he indoors? What just happened?’”
“Once they confirmed he wasn’t dead, they left because they’ve been instructed not to take people into shelters. How do you explain that to a seven-year-old?” she continued. “That’s not the lesson we want to teach our kids about kindness. But as a society, that’s the reality—we are leaving those with severe mental health issues on the streets, abandoning those struggling with addiction. Not only are we doing that, but we’re using taxpayer funds to worsen their condition instead of providing help.”
Komatireddy remains a long shot in the race, trailing James by significant margins, as per a September Siena University poll. However, she noted that since the debate, more people have begun to recognize her. She believes her bipartisan strategy focusing on crime issues, housing for the homeless, and combating fraud will resonate with enough voters for a potential upset.
Komatireddy’s political experience includes being appointed by former President Joe Biden as Chief of Staff of the Drug Enforcement Administration from 2023 to 2024. She was also nominated by President Trump for a judgeship in the U.S. District Court and has clerked for Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
“I seek to find common-sense solutions that most people can agree on. Nearly every New Yorker, regardless of political affiliation, wants to feel secure. Public safety transcends politics. It doesn’t matter if you’re a Democratic Socialist—you want to feel safe when you’re on the buses,” she mentioned, referring to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. (RELATED: The Far-Left Tiger Claws Mamdani)
The Daily Caller also asked Komatireddy if there’s another book that has influenced her perspective.
“You want a different answer to that? I gave that answer because it’s the truthful one. That’s the last book I read during bedtime for my son, who loves it,” she explained and later reflected on her choice of “The Alchemist,” a well-known work by Brazilian author Paulo Coelho.
“I read that book every New Year’s. It helps me stay grounded,” she said. “It’s about chasing something thought to be impossible, and achieving it. It reminds us that if you accept what everyone else knows as truth, nothing changes. No one innovates, no one breaks new ground. It’s essential to be that person who envisions a different reality, believes in something deemed unattainable, and pursues it.”
“I think that’s really important,” she concluded.
