Why is crime ‘so important to you?’ New York governor asks Republican opponent in debate

“This is what Hochul believes. How dare she downplay the very real and legitimate fears of New Yorkers,” former assemblyman Dov Hikind stated.

By World Israel News Staff

In a televised gubernatorial debate with Rep. Lee Zeldin ahead of the 2022 U.S. mid-term elections, New York Governor Kathy Hochul downplayed the paramount issue of concern to her constituents.

Zeldin has spent much of the year railing against a streak of shootings and other violent crimes, including a series of unprovoked attacks on New York City subways. Two teenagers were also injured in a drive-by shooting outside his home earlier this month.

He charged Hochul with failing to take seriously the concerns of New Yorkers about the upsurge of attacks on subways and hate crimes against Jewish and Asian-American communities.

He asked the governor about “putting criminals behind bars, the number one issue to people in the state of New York, the thing of greatest concern,” radio host Dov Hikind said in a video blog following the event.

Hikind, a former Democratic assemblyman and founder of the group Americans Against Antisemitism, continued:

“What was her response? This is beyond comprehension and belief…’I don’t know why that’s so important.’

“She doesn’t know why it is important to keep criminals off the streets. People who commit one crime, 10 crimes, 20, 30, and are back on the street almost immediately.

“When asked about crime on the subway, Hochul downplayed the violence by saying, it is just ‘a sense of fear in peoples’ minds.'”

“This is what Hochul believes. How dare she downplay the very real and legitimate fears of New Yorkers,” he stated.

According to Hikind, “The most important responsibility of government is to protect its citizens, and that is not happening with the Democrats running the show, with Hochul being the governor for a while. They have no freakin’ clue. People are concerned. People are afraid. People are afraid to get on the freakin’ train. This is not what America and New York is all about.”

Associated Press contributed to this report.