‘Frustrating As Heck’: Dem Governor Talks Kathy Hochul’s Close New York Race

‘Frustrating As Heck’: Dem Governor Talks Kathy Hochul’s Close New York Race

Harold Hutchison on November 1, 2022

Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy of New Jersey complained about the close race Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York faces during a Tuesday morning MSNBC appearance.

“It’s frustrating as heck. Mark was — kind of made this point in your prior conversation,” Murphy told Willie Geist during “Morning Joe.” “It isn’t just that people are saying awful things and questioning our institutions and questioning the facts, but it’s that people are going along with them.”

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Trafalgar released a poll showing Republican Rep. Lee Zeldin of New York virtually tied with Hochul in the Nov. 8 election. Zeldin made crime an issue, vowing to remove left-wing Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg and promising to repealNew York’s 2019 law that ended cash bail.

“I think she’s doing a great job and she’s doing just what she should be doing,” Murphy said. “She is making folks understand in New York that she is with them at that kitchen table as it relates to affordability, opportunity, rekindling the American dream. She is herself serious on crime.”

Hochul called Republicans “master manipulators” during a Sunday appearance on MSNBC. During her Oct. 25 debate with Zeldin, she said she didn’t understand why locking up criminals was important.

“I think our race last year, you rightfully pointed out we might have been the canary in the coal mine — in other words, previewing a lot of tightening of races that we’re seeing right now,” Murphy said, referencing his near-loss during his 2021 reelection bid. “But she is terrific. But having said that, this is a tough-as-heck election and she’s not taking any vote for granted and neither should the rest of us.”

Hochul did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.