Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Perhaps the boldest statement Lee Zeldin made during a victory lap in Buffalo Thursday came toward the his lengthy remarks to reporters gathered at Erie County Republican Party Headquarters.
"Kathy Hochul will lose Erie County on November 8, 2022," said the party's newly elected nominee to challenge Democrat Hochul for the state's top office. Zeldin was responding to a question about overcoming a huge Democratic voter plurality in the hometown county of Hochul and he said there are enough disenfranchised Democrats who will cross party lines and vote for him.
Zeldin said crime and public safety and the economy are the two top issues in the race for governor and he said that was not determine by him or his opponent, but by the people of New York State.
"No matter how hard Kathy Hochul tries to talk about issues other than those two, the reality is those are the two top issues of this campaign."
The New York State Legislature was gathered in special session in Albany as Zeldin talked extensively about the measures lawmakers are considering to further restrict guns in New York.
The legislature is making a wrong decision to enact legislation that targets law abiding New Yorkers," said Zeldin. He claims the decisions being made by Hochul and the legislature are actually making New York less safe, not more safe.
"If you're going to identify a location and you're going to tell the criminal that at that location that there will be no law-abiding New Yorkers who will be safely and securely carrying a firearm for their own self defense, you are putting the safety of other people at that location at risk."
On the economy, Zeldin said New Yorkers are at a breaking point. "We lead the entire nation in population loss," he said.
Zeldin also touched on an issue close to the hearts of Buffalo Bills fans in commenting on the recently agreed upon lease between the NFL team, New York State and Erie County. "I think the process was horrible," he said and added that a better deal for New Yorkers should have been negotiated and also involved more public discourse.
On the issue of abortion, Zeldin identifies himself as pro-life and says his campaign has extensive policy statements on the issue.
"I'm pro life, but I've found that people who consider them selves to be pro choice agree with me when I talk about how New York should not have non-doctors performing abortions."
Zeldin defeated primary challenges from former Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, businessman Harry Wilson and Andrew Giuliani, the son of New York City's former mayor Rudy Giuliani.
Zeldin will try in November to become the first Republican elected governor in New York since Gov. George Pataki was reelected in 2002.
