New York Gov. Kathy Hochul harshly criticized Republican Elise Stefanik, a potential candidate against her in this November's election, on Sunday's ABC 7's "Up Close with Bill Ritter."
Hochul, a Democrat, warned that President Donald Trump would like Stefanik to run against her.
"If someone who is a MAGA Republican gets elected as governor ... against me, think about the power that Donald Trump will have over everything in the state, including the city," Hochul warned. "That's what should give people great pause."
Following last week's mass shooting in which four people were killed in Midtown Manhattan, Stefanik slammed democratic socialist New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani for a social media post against the NYPD five years ago, saying "Kathy Hochul's very own Commie Mamdani. A disgrace and truly unfit to be mayor of NYC."
Hochul said on Sunday that "it's pathetic, and especially in the time when we're a city that's in mourning, to be taking cheap shots and trying to infer that [Mamdani] had something to do with this. I mean, come on. Come on. People are smarter than that. Don't try to make this a political moment for you ... have some humanity."
A Stefanik spokesperson, in response, told the New York Post that "New Yorkers are thankful for the swift response and heroism of our brave men and women in law enforcement. What is giving New Yorkers great pause is the continuation of Kathy Hochul's inept and failed leadership that is destroying our state. Hochul is beholden to Commie Mamdani and has clearly bent the knee to this raging defund the police antisemite."
Stefanik's spokesperson continued that "it is a disgrace to every New Yorker that Mamdani would defund the very law enforcement officers that responded to this heinous, violent crime and the worst governor in America just stands silently by and will allow it to happen."
In her interview with ABC 7 on Sunday, Hochul also reiterated her long-time call to ban assault riles, saying "Why do we even allow these weapons of mass destruction to be sold anywhere in America? Other countries have completely banned them. Why can't Congress and the president step up and say, This is it, no more?"
Hochul argued it takes "political courage" to enact gun control and appealed to Trump.
When asked if it is probable that Trump would take action to enact gun control, Hochul said, "I'm always surprised. I'd be willing to make the case. And you know how important this is. You never know what's going to be a breakthrough."
She reiterated that "this is President Trump's hometown. He knows these streets. He knows these buildings. And so [he might] might understand the incredible vulnerability that people and they're going to their jobs every single day in Midtown."
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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