Kathy Hochul self-sabotages campaign with telling response when GOP opponent confronts her about crime

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) raised eyebrows on Tuesday when she bizarrely questioned Republican Lee Zeldin's emphasis on combatting crime, a key issue in the New York governor's race.

What happened?

During Tuesday's New York gubernatorial debate, Zeldin reiterated his pledge to declare a "crime emergency" if elected governor.

"The first day that I'm in office, I'm going to declare a crime emergency and suspend cashless bail and these other pro-crime laws," Zeldin said. "My opponent thinks that right now there’s a polio emergency going on but there’s not a crime emergency — different priorities than I’m hearing from people right now.

"Halfway through the debate, she still hasn’t talked about locking up anyone committing any crimes," he added.

Hochul responded that crimes have consequences in New York — but then she dropped an unforgettable line.

"I don't know why that's so important to you," she said of crime issues. "All I know is that we can do more."

Earlier in the debate, Zeldin highlighted how Hochul is not offering an actual plan to combat crime in the Empire State. Instead, she is only focusing on limiting Second Amendment rights.

"Kathy Hochul believes that the only crimes being committed are crimes with guns," Zeldin said. "You have people who are afraid to be pushed in front of oncoming subway cars, they’re being stabbed, beaten to death on the street with hammers.

"Talk to the Asian-American community and how it’s impacted them with the loss of lives, Jewish people targeted with raw, violent anti-Semitism on our streets — it just happened yet again," he continued. "We need to be talking about all of these other crimes, but instead, Kathy Hochul is busy patting herself on the back, job well done. No, actually."

Hochul, Zeldin spar over crime, Trump in debate for New York governorwww.youtube.com

What about crime in NY?

Downplaying the importance of solving crime problems will undoubtedly hurt Hochul's campaign.

After all, the most recent poll from Quinnipiac found that crime is the most important issue to New York voters, even overshadowing inflation and economic woes.