Broadly, Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul and her Republican rival Rep. Lee Zeldin have sought to respectively ding each other over support for former President Donald Trump and the rise in violent crime in New York.

A day after both candidates debated in what's expected to be the only televised forum and less than two weeks to go before Election Day, neither candidate is showing signs of altering course.

It's a reflection of how both candidates, in large part, have sought to activate the bases of both their parties in the election for governor. Hochul, seeking to become the first woman elected to the job, is running for a full term. Zeldin is trying to end a 15-year losing streak for Republicans statewide in New York.

 

Hochul's campaign on Wednesday released a campaign ad pointing to Zeldin's support for Trump, the ex-president's endorsement and his vote to not certify election results in several states. It's an issue Hochul repeatedly turned to during the Spectrum News/NY1 debate on Tuesday evening at Pace University.

And it's an issue reflected in polling as Democratic voters list "threats to democracy" as a major concern for them heading into this election season.

"The ad, “What He Did,” draws attention to Zeldin’s vote to overturn the 2020 presidential election and his proud status as one of Trump’s strongest allies," Hochul's campaign said in a statement.

Zeldin, meanwhile, continued to work to hammer home his message about crime and public safety in the race -- another top concern registered by voters. He plans to launch another tour across the state highlighting the issue, including Thursday in Syracuse to coincide with President Joe Biden's visit.

Hochul will appear with Biden when he touts Micron Technology, Inc.'s plan to invest in central New York, a move that is expected to bring thousands of jobs to the region.

On Wednesday, Zeldin was once again outside a business to point to the impact crime is having on business owners and to knock New York's recently changed criminal justice laws for cash bail and juvenile justice. He's received the nods from 50 law enforcement organizations at this point.

"I’m honored to stand with our men and women in blue who bravely and selflessly work hard every day to keep our communities safe," he said. "For too long, our leaders in Albany have undermined them every step of the way, championing pro-criminal laws that put handcuffs on justice, not criminals."