Earlier this month, Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) raised eyebrows for taking political jabs at Florida during a bill signing event for Holocaust education in her state. "I just want to say to the 1.77 million Jews who call New York home: Thank you for calling New York home. Don’t go anywhere or to another state. Florida is overrated. I shouldn’t say this, but look at the governor. It starts at the top down," she had said, going off script. Last week, she also gained negative attention for telling Republicans to "just jump on a bus and head down to Florida where you belong, okay? Get out of town. Because you do not represent our values. You are not New Yorkers."
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul tells Republicans to "jump on a bus and head down to Florida where you belong...you are not New Yorkers" pic.twitter.com/FazoHqPAZu
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) August 28, 2022
Her remarks came on Monday, when she was stumping for Pat Ryan, a Democrat who ultimately won Tuesday's special election to represent the 19th Congressional District against Republican Marc Molinaro.
She specifically framed her remarks about it being in the era of "of Trump, and Zeldin and Molinaro." Rep. Lee Zeldin is her Republican opponent for the November gubernatorial election.
Zeldin quickly posted a strongly worded video statement to Twitter, and also emphasized in multiple tweets it was a "psycho demand."
What a psycho demand. I’m not going anywhere @KathyHochul.
— Lee Zeldin (@leezeldin) August 23, 2022
I’m a proud lifelong New Yorker who unlike you is willing to be a Governor for all New Yorkers.
If someone disagrees with me, that doesn’t mean they aren’t a New Yorker & must leave the state!https://t.co/xz48tnoOrG
The Republican gubernatorial nominee has also since been tweeting strong words against the governor, including how it's "reason enough to toss Kathy Hochul out of office November 8" and that he's staying in New York, where he was "born and raised."
One of Zeldin's tweets included an opinion piece from Tim Hoefer for The New York Post, how "Kathy Hochul’s call for 5.4M Republicans to leave New York is dangerous and disgusting."
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Hoefer in part highlights how Hochul's "message is fiscally irresponsible, even dangerous," going on to write how New York "has already lost 1.5 million residents in the past decade, and there’s no sign of that trend letting up. In fact, more than 350,000 New Yorkers relocated during the 12 pandemic-plagued months leading up to July 1, 2021."
New York leads the way in population loss, as Zeldin has highlighted before.
New York has a Governor who believes that if you disagree with her you are no longer a New Yorker and need to leave the state. Just think about how absolutely nuts that is. Kathy Hochul's Gotta Go!https://t.co/8ylkqbI8BY
— Lee Zeldin (@leezeldin) August 26, 2022
The governor doubled down on her remarks when asked for clarification on Friday, as Zack Fink highlighted for Spectrum News NY 1, though she also tried to change the narrative.
"Excuse me, I’ll answer your question. OK? I referred to three individuals: Donald Trump, County Executive Molinaro, and Congressman Lee Zeldin. I spoke about three people who’s views we believe are extreme. They supported the overturning of a presidential election," she told reporters.
Hochul has used particularly strong rhetoric against Zeldin before. Last month, just before Zeldin was attacked by a man with a sharp pointed object at a campaign stop. While Hochul did release a statement condemning the crime, she had before the attack sent out an inflammatory email highlighting and mocking her opponent's schedule.
Very unusual advisory from @KathyHochul ?? just now, basically making fun of @leezeldin by mocking his campaign schedule this weekend and replacing his events with Democratic talking points about Trump.
— Zack Fink (@ZackFinkNews) July 21, 2022
Usually the targeted attacks come from @nydems and @JayJacobs28 pic.twitter.com/1SaOrbaOX4
When it comes to his state charges, as Zeldin predicted, the suspect was quickly released hours after being taken into custody, as a result of New York's bail laws.
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