New York Gov. Kathy Hochle appeared to call Trump supporters “clowns” during a media appearance Thursday ahead of the former president’s rally in the Bronx, New York City.
“I’m telling you, Jake, it wouldn’t make any difference. It would be for Donald Trump to take the reins and invite all his clowns to a place like the Bronx.” Haukle told CNN: Jake Tapper.
She continued, “New York will never support Donald Trump for president. We know him better than anybody and we know what he’s thinking. He’s only looking out for his own interests. So this state will, as always, fully support Joe Biden for president. So if he wants to spend his time holding these fake rallies and pretending he has our support, feel free to do so. Because while you’re doing that, Donald Trump, Joe Biden is over there working for all the American people.”
In response to Horckle’s comments, the Trump campaign told Fox News Digital, “Kathy Horckle is upset that President Trump is drawing crowds in her state that they could only dream of. The Democrats are in disarray as Americans, including Hispanics and Blacks, are waking up to the fact that Joe Biden and the Democrats have been using and deceiving them to get their votes for decades.”
Trump, who recently visited the state for the hush money trial, has said he believes he has a good chance of winning in November’s election, even though the state has not voted Republican since 1984.
A recent Siena College poll shows President Biden leading President Trump in the state by just nine points (47% to 38%), after Biden handily won the state in 2020 with 60.8% of the vote.
“Kathy Hawkle has once again shown her true colors, disrespecting millions of New Yorkers and displaying a shocking level of intolerance and contempt for a sizable portion of our state’s population. This follows her recent vicious comments calling Catholics ‘right-wing extremists’ and suggesting black children have never seen a computer,” David Laska, communications director for the New York Republican Party, told Fox News Digital.
“It is time for Governor Hockle to apologize to the hard-working citizens he continues to alienate with his elitist and offensive rhetoric. New Yorkers deserve leaders who respect diverse ideas and beliefs and are committed to working for everyone, not just those who share their political views,” he added.
Two years ago, Hawkle angered Republicans by telling Republican candidates in the state to “get out of town” and “go to Florida” where they belong.
“I want to say the era of Trump, Zeldin and Molinaro is over. Get on the bus and head to Florida where you belong. Get out of town,” Hokele said in 2022. “You do not represent our values.”
The comments were reminiscent of former Secretary of State and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s infamous “bullshit load of deplorables” comment, made at a New York fundraiser in 2016.
“You see, very generally speaking, half of Trump’s supporters fall into what I call the deplorables group, right?,” Clinton said at the time. “Racists, sexists, homophobes, xenophobes, Islamophobes, you name it. Unfortunately, those people exist. And Trump has elevated them.”
Haukl’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
