BUFFALO, N.Y. — Tuesday night's debate covered a wide range of topics from crime and bail reform to the economy, abortion rights, and gun control.
Wednesday, 2 On Your Side took a closer look at crime, and what's being proposed by both candidates.
"There is no tough-on-crime strategy that does not include being tough on illegal guns, and you did not hear that last night from my opponent," said New York State Governor Kathy Hochul.
"After there were a number of questions asked by the moderators, specific to crime, I pointed out that we're almost through this entire crime conversation and still Kathy Hochul was not talking about locking up the criminals," said Rep. Lee Zeldin.
Democrat Kathy Hochul and Republican Lee Zeldin also spoke with reporters on Wednesday, the day after their first and only debate before next month's election. During the debate, Zeldin called for a state of emergency concerning crime. He repeated that again on Wednesday during his press conference.
"On day one, right after I'm sworn into office, I will declare a crime emergency here in the State of New York and I will suspend, I will also suspend cashless bail and other pro-criminal laws to force the state legislature just to come to the table," said Rep. Lee Zeldin.
Gov. Hochul was asked what new things she can accomplish when it comes to dealing with crime.
"We say you feel safer with the presence of more police officers, then I'll help you. You would not have heard this before in the past where the State of New York is deploying our state workers to help in the cities and also in our subways. We're doing this in Rochester and Syracuse, as well," said Gov. Kathy Hochul.
2 On Your Side talked with University at Buffalo Associate Professor of Political Science Jacob Neiheisel about whether what Zeldin is proposing is possible.
"I have a very realist view on power in that in a separated system, institutions are able to do precisely what they want to the point that somebody stops them. And I think that an executive in New York facing a legislature of the other party is going to have a very, very short leash," said Jacob Neiheisel.
Neiheisel says people who watch debates tend to already have their minds made up, and he does not think this one would have impacted many votes.
"It is true that the margins, some independents may be swayed at these things, but the thing that really tends to do the most movement, if any at all, is the narrative that gets crafted after the fact. So, I'm not saying debates don't matter or can't matter, but most debates don't matter," said Jacob Neiheisel.
Zeldin also criticized Hochul on the Bills stadium deal saying he would renegotiate it if he wins. Neiheisel gave an answer similar to the one he gave about the state of emergency and said with it being this far into the stadium deal process, he isn't surprised Zeldin and Hochul are on opposite sides about that issue.