Lee Zeldin Endorsed by Trump for New York Governor as Democratic Stronghold's Race Tightens
(Photo : Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
On Sunday, Donald Trump steps into the New York governor's election by backing Republican House Representative Lee Zeldin's campaign to replace Democratic incumbent Gov. Kathy Hochul.

Less than three weeks remain until election day, and Gov. Kathy Hochul and Rep. Lee Zeldin are increasingly in a tight race for the office of governor of New York.

Democratic Governor Hochul is letting her well-funded advertisements do the talking while her Republican opponent Zeldin is attacking Hochul in public.

Lee Zeldin vs. Kathy Hochul

To convince voters, Hochul fully utilizes her position as the incumbent and a sizable campaign war chest. Starting on Tuesday, the advertisement will run all around the state. Following the same tactic as her hard-charging predecessor, Hochul has mostly ignored her tenacious rival. She is allowing the office's authority to speak for itself.

On Zeldin's home turf of Long Island, Hochul approved legislation on Monday to combat catalytic converter theft. She didn't seem concerned that Zeldin had a tiny lead in that survey.

Zeldin, for his part, was at a Bronx subway stop where another passenger had been shoved onto the rails. Zeldin insisted Hochul stop using congestion pricing until the rider experience was better. But there was also an element of criticizing the governor.

The governor's decision to allow only one debate on cable TV infuriated Zeldin. However, he also gave the impression that he was irritated by her alleged Rose Garden approach, which involved merely running the state to get rid of him, as per CBS News. Zeldin also brought up several recent assaults on subway users, including the unprovoked attack on Elizabeth Gomes, 33, and the gunshot death of Jayjon Burnett, a 15-year-old.

Zeldin blasted the Democratic incumbent for failing to address the issue of organized crime during a press conference held outside the Bronx subway station where a man was shoved onto the tracks on Saturday. Zeldin claimed that congestion pricing would paradoxically increase traffic in The Bronx and other outer boroughs.

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Who is Lee Zeldin?

Announcing his support for Rep. Lee Zeldin in the race for governor of New York, former president Donald Trump assured voters that the Long Island Republican could eliminate the state's crime problems. 

The Republican representative has threatened to declare a crime emergency if elected, which critics claim would violate the constitution. No authority has stepped forward to commit to exemptions for commuters who currently pay a significant toll just to enter Manhattan or for drivers like yellow cabs who would frequently enter and exit the toll zones.

Hochul said she was 100% in favor of congestion pricing during a Democratic primary debate in June, a week after city Public Advocate Jumaane Williams was the only contender to suggest the idea should be implemented soon, according to New York Post.

Zeldin, a congressman from Long Island and a former US Army soldier, experienced a decline in support of up to 24 points in August. His recent rise demonstrates that the Republican candidate may benefit from the city's increasing crime.

He is also gaining from the fact that Republicans are more likely to cast ballots and that his base of supporters is more emotional than Hochul's, Lee M. Miringoff, the director of the Marist Institute for Public Opinion, made a statement.

Seizing the alarming opportunity, Zeldin pledged to oust Alvin Bragg, the district attorney for Manhattan, after taking office. For his lenient stance on crime, Bragg has drawn heavy criticism, Daily Mail reported.

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