Governor Kathy Hochul held a campaign rally in Sunnyside Saturday and was accompanied by a large contingent of Queens elected officials (Photo: Kathy Hochul via Twitter @KathyHochul)
Nov. 7, 2022 By Michael Dorgan
Governor Kathy Hochul held a campaign rally in Sunnyside Saturday and was accompanied by a large contingent of Queens elected officials.
Hochul, who faces off against Republican Lee Zeldin in tomorrow’s gubernatorial election, spoke to a crowd at the Sunnyside Greenmarket on Skillman Avenue and urged residents to get out and vote for her.
The governor was accompanied by a who’s who of Queens elected officials. Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, State Senator Michael Gianaris, Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas and Councilmembers Julie Won, Shekar Krishnan and Tiffany Cabán were all present, as were Congresswomen Carolyn Maloney and Nydia Velázquez.
State legislature candidates Kristen Gonzalez, Juan Ardila and Steven Raga were also in attendance.
Hochul said there is a clear contrast between her and Zeldin.
“It is so extreme,” Hochul said. “Everything is on the line… this is for everything we fought for, for so many years. LGBTQ rights, women’s rights, the right to have an abortion which has been in place even before Roe v Wade in this state.”
Zeldin, however, has said that he won’t attempt to change the abortion laws—despite having a pro-life stance.
Hochul also took aim at Zeldin’s tough-on-crime campaign message and for not supporting the assault weapons ban legislation while serving in Congress.
Zeldin has promised a zero-tolerance approach to crime that includes repealing cashless bail, removing district attorneys who don’t enforce the law, and hiring more police throughout the state.
“Why can’t Lee Zeldin support any of our commonsense gun safety laws?” Hochul said.
“You [Zeldin] say you’re so tough on crime, but you can’t be tough on crime but be soft on guns. The guns are what’s killing people, so we try to get the guns off the streets.”
Kathy Hochul speaking in Sunnyside Saturday (Photo: Kathy Hochul via Twitter @KathyHochul)
She also promised to give bonuses to front-line workers for their efforts fighting the pandemic. She also said that Zeldin is a climate change denier and an election denier.
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards spoke at the rally and urged the crowd to vote for Hochul.
“Kathy Hochul has shown up for this borough time and time again,” Richards said. “When Ida hit, Kathy was here—she wrote a check. When excluded workers needed a check, Kathy wrote a check. When we needed jobs at the airport, 6,000 union jobs.”
“So, make sure we get out there… and take nothing for granted.”
However, the Sunnyside crowd was not unanimous in its support of Hochul and her speech was interrupted by at least two hecklers.
“Get the criminals off the streets too,” one man could be heard saying when the Hochul began talking about crime.
Another protester, a woman, took issue with Hochul’s support of bail reform laws—and attributed the reforms to the death of Keaira Bennefield — a 30-year-old mother of three who was fatally shot by her estranged husband in Buffalo on Oct. 5. The shooting came the day after he was released from custody on no bail after beating Bennefield up.
The protester held a sign reading “Say her name Kathy, Keaira Bennefield,” and shouted, “this woman is dead because of your no-cash bail.”
If Hochul were to win she would become the first woman to be elected as Governor of New York. She assumed the governorship in Aug. 2021 after former Governor Andrew Cuomo resigned in the midst of sexual harassment allegations.
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23 Comments
Never get tired of winning. Thank you progressives and Democrats.
I am glad the progressives got their second choice to prevail.
sorry but i hope you lose
No way kathy horse mouth will get my vote She supports congestion pricing which I am totally against. MTA has too much money it doesnt need any more from everyday folks who are having difficult time to put bread & butter on table .
Bro get out
Kathy Hochul will win. Do not believe the media hype about a chance of a Republican winning the Governor race. That will never happen in NYC or NY.
No media said that Zeldin has a chance to win. Zeldin just went up in some polls but always behind Hochul. Dems nationally just want to celebrate and make it a big win against a Republican. Progressives will make the difference and support Hochul.
Just watched on the news that Hochul will be campaigning with AOC on election day. She saved the best for last.
Omg… the Nut Case w/ the Rabies was back ??
Screaming and Spitting Profanities, being Destructive w/ her Disorderly Conduct; hopefully Bellevue has a Bed this time????
She’s been a poor example of a governor and I don’t expect her to do much about the crimes, drug abuses, bikes on sidewalks, abuses of the elderly etc. People and businesses will continue to vacate this city and state and for good reason.
Apparently the majority of New York voters disagree with you. She won get over it now.
I’m not voting for Kathy Hocum. Never.
It’s hokum.
All the DSA politicians are like vote for Kathy Hochul – our second choice!!!
I am a life-long Democrat since age 18. After seeing Hochul with Van Bramer, Won, Caban, Rojas, etc., I am voting for Zeldin on Tuesday! So disappointed, like so many Democrats, with the direction the party is going under the Progressive movement and public demeanor of these politicians in Western Queens. Time for a system of checks and balances in government.
I already voted for her and down ballot blue too. Hochul deserves a full term, and sorry I missed the last minute rally.
Governor hopeless is a nasty mean lefty extremist who has no problem if you are assaulted
She thinks it’s in your head and you imagined it
Best part? Nobody missed work. What a cast of characters.
She is an awful woman. Andrew Cuomo is having a big laugh.
Glad I missed the clown show! I would have asked the unelected governor why she thinks crime “is no big deal”. She said we should “get on the bus and leave” – guess what – many of us did already and are planning to leave. She is worse than CUOMO and that says a lot.
you gotta be kidding me…. this woman who says crime isnt happening and that its just in our imaginations, she is sickening. Get out of my hood you wacko!!!
I didn’t realize all of those politicians were in the same place at the same time. Hmmmm. Zeldin all the way.
She let us know during the last debate that she doesn’t share your concerns about rising crime. She can try to backpedal on that now but she was telling the truth the first time.