NY Gov. Hochul and Rep. Zeldin boast police union support

ALBANY — A pair of police unions endorsed opposing candidates Tuesday in New York’s gubernatorial race as Gov. Hochul and Republican challenger Lee Zeldin continue their debate stalemate.

Hochul announced support from the Police Benevolent Association of New York State as Zeldin rolled out an endorsement from the Police Conference of New York, an umbrella organization of law enforcement unions.

“As governor, my top priority is making sure that New Yorkers in every community not only feel safe but are safe,” the governor said in a statement. “By working hand in hand with law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve, we have made progress toward making our streets safer and our criminal justice system fairer.”

Crime and public safety remain central issues for New Yorkers as the Nov. 8 general election approaches.

Zeldin has hammered Hochul over high-profile violent crimes across the city and accused her of failing to roll back reforms limiting the use of cash bail in the state despite changes made in the most recent state budget expanding pretrial detention.

The Long Island congressman has taken heat over an ad featuring a montage of violent incidents and crimes, including several dating back to before Hochul became governor.

The ad, which initially included a clip from Oakland, Calif., also featured an image of Saheed Vassell, a bipolar Brooklyn man killed by cops after he pointed a metal welding tool at several people.

“Seeing my son, Saheed Vassell’s, image in that terrible ad breaks my heart,” Vassell’s father, Eric Vassell, said in a statement released on Tuesday. “It is painful and enraging that Mr. Zeldin is playing politics with my son’s image – criminalizing and dehumanizing Saheed, who was murdered by the NYPD.”

Vassell’s family is calling on Zeldin to apologize and take down the ad.

In recent weeks, Hochul’s campaign has released several ads slamming Zeldin over his conservative stance on guns and abortion as well as his relationship with former president Donald Trump.

While the pair of pols battle it out over the airwaves via ads, it remains unclear if they will go toe-to-toe against one another in a televised debate ahead of the election.

Hochul last week agreed to a single debate on NY1 and Spectrum News on Oct. 25, two weeks before voters go to the polls. Zeldin refused to sign off on the standalone event, arguing that has repeatedly called for a minimum of five debates across the state.

Hochul argued early Tuesday that “historically” there is typically only one general election debate in gubernatorial races.

“We’re looking forward to showing up,” Hochul said following an event on Long Island. “We’re looking forward to having a good conversation and letting the voters see the real contrast between myself and an extreme individual who does not represent the values of New York.”

Zeldin responded by calling Hochul’s refusal to agree to more debates a “profile in cowardice.”

“No matter how @KathyHochul tries to spin this, one cable debate for one hour at the end of October over a month after the start of voting is entirely unacceptable,” he tweeted. “There should be multiple debates across New York and they should start immediately.”