The Facts
- On Sunday, Republican New York gubernatorial candidate Rep. Lee Zeldin agreed to a debate with incumbent Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul. The two will face off on Tuesday.
- Zeldin has called Hochul a "coward" for refusing to "accept a series of debates on broadcast and across various media markets in New York," adding that she only accepted this one because it's "a month after absentee ballots started going out."
- Zeldin's acceptance comes after previously declining the debate in protest, prompting the Hochul campaign to issue a statement saying, "After months of hiding, Congressman Zeldin has finally agreed to participate in Tuesday's debate," and accusing Zeldin of "dangerous lies."
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The Spin
Republican narrative
Notably, Kathy Hochul wasn't elected to office, and that shows in her political behavior. She has promoted legislation that jeopardizes the safety of New Yorkers daily. Hochul has refused to debate those policies because she knows Zeldin has the high ground, and the polls are reflecting that reality.
Democratic narrative
Just because Lee Zeldin has clamored for multiple debates on his terms doesn't make his requests reasonable. Kathy Hochul has been busy fighting the pandemic, restricting access to illegal guns, and strengthening social policies for working families. She will defend herself during Tuesday's debate, but her record and busy schedule speak for themselves.
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