Lee Zeldin believes he'll win enough votes in NYC to oust Hochul: 'We're going to shock the political world'
Zeldin tells 'America's Newsroom' he needs 30-35% of NYC vote to oust Democrat incumbent
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}New York gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin revealed Monday how much of deep-blue New York City he will have to win in order to unseat Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul.
Zeldin, who held more than a dozen campaign events Sunday, joined "America's Newsroom" to discuss the race against Hochul just one week before Election Day.
"We're definitely going to do it," Zeldin told co-hosts Bill Hemmer and Dana Perino. "We can't get less than 30% of the vote in New York City. When you're at that big board and the results are coming in, if you see us under 30% in New York City, we're not going to win this race, but at the same time, if we get 35% or more inside of New York City, well, then it starts to become difficult to lose this race."
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"We have the energy, we have the momentum on our side. We have the issues on our side. We feel very good. As long as we keep working hard, we are going to absolutely shock the political world, not just here in New York, but around the country," he continued
HAUPPAUGE, NY - OCTOBER 29: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (L) campaigns alongside New York Republican gubernatorial hopeful, Rep. Lee Zeldin (R) at a Get Out The Vote Rally on October 29, 2022 in Hauppauge, New York. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images)
Crime has taken center stage in the race, as violence continues to rock Big Apple streets. Crimes like robbery and assaults have spiked, alongside a notable jump in transit crime.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Zeldin sparred with Hochul over the key issue in a heated debate last week, as she accused him of weaponizing the issue to keep New Yorkers "scared" as they head to the polls.
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But Zeldin responded that crime knows no partisan bounds. He cited the support of many demographics who typically vote blue, including lifelong Democrats, who are fed up with concerns surrounding public safety.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Support is coming in from all across all walks of life," Zeldin said. "This is about Democrats, Republicans and independents uniting as New Yorkers to be able to save our state. People truly believe, they understand, they know that this is a campaign to save New York City, a campaign to save New York State, to restore balance up to Albany."
"And that's why we're getting support from people who maybe have been a lifelong Democrat," he continued. "They've always voted Democrat, but they're saying, Lee, this year I'm voting for you."
If elected, Zeldin would be the first Republican governor to lead the state in two decades.