New York Governor Race Heats Up: Super PAC Ad Supports Blakeman, Criticizes Hochul
A Super PAC funded by Knicks owner James Dolan has released a new ad supporting Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman and criticizing Governor Kathy Hochul. The ad, titled "Get Outta Town," highlights Hochul's past comments about residents leaving New York for Florida and proposes that Blakeman will lower taxes to make the state more affordable. The ad is set to run on digital and streaming platforms for several weeks.
The "Strong and Safe New York" Super PAC, backing Blakeman, has invested over $1 million in the ad campaign, making it the primary advocacy group supporting Blakeman's candidacy. Despite Hochul's significant fundraising advantage, with $21 million on hand and an additional $22 million in the state Democratic Party's account, Blakeman's campaign and allied Republican groups have raised about $11 million.
A recent poll released by Strong and Safe NY suggested that Blakeman is only trailing Hochul by 4 percentage points, with 47% support for Hochul and 43% for Blakeman, while 10% remain undecided. However, other independent polls, such as those conducted by Siena College, show Hochul leading comfortably by double digits. Democrats outnumber Republicans in the state by more than 2-to-1, with more unaffiliated registered voters than registered Republicans.
Hochul, who is seeking re-election for a second term, recently granted New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani the authority to impose a pied-a-terre property tax surcharge on certain high-value properties. Blakeman, the current Nassau County executive, is positioning himself as a candidate who will lower taxes and make New York State more affordable.
Despite the differences in fundraising and polling numbers, the race for governor in New York remains competitive, with both candidates vying for support from voters across the state. The ad campaign by the Dolan-backed Super PAC adds to the political discourse surrounding the upcoming election, highlighting key issues such as taxes and affordability in New York State.