The Democratic nominee seeking to replace retiring Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik in New York’s upstate congressional district has declined to say whether he supports—or would vote for—Gov. Kathy Hochul.
Blake Gendebien, the Democratic candidate in the North Country, refused to weigh in on Hochul during a live radio interview last week. Asked whether he backed the incumbent governor or her Republican challenger, Bruce Blakeman, Gendebien did not choose between them.
“What I support is anyone that will help the North Country be absolutely successful,” Gendebien said during the Oct. 8 broadcast of WUTQ’s Utica-area program, “Talk of the Town.”
One of the show’s co-hosts later criticized Gendebien for sidestepping the question about the governor, as well as other questions during the interview.
“People are saying ‘this guy must be a good dancer because he dances around the questions,’” the co-host said.
Gendebien is challenging pro-Trump Republican Anthony Constantino, who won the GOP primary to succeed Stefanik. Stefanik is not seeking reelection.
Gendebien has also acknowledged in a recorded conversation that Hochul is unpopular in New York’s heavily Republican-leaning 21st Congressional District.
In audio secretly recorded at Gendebien’s Sept. 3 “Health Activist Town Hall,” the Democratic candidate said:
“She is underwater, she has a negative net-favorability, for whatever reason. I don’t know why that is,” Gendebien said during the event, according to the recording.
“She has certainly worked hard to provide funding and opportunities for as many communities as she possibly can,” he added.
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Gendebien also pulled a campaign advertisement over the summer that said he would stand up to Hochul and work with President Donald Trump. The move came after Hochul’s Democratic allies said they would remove him from coordinated support for down-ballot candidates.
A Siena University/Times Union/WPTZ-NBC5/WAMC poll released last week showed Gendebien ahead of Constantino, 46% to 42%, among likely voters. Independent candidate Christopher Schmidt received 5% support.
The survey also found that 60% of voters viewed Hochul unfavorably, while 34% held a favorable opinion of the governor.
Trump was also underwater in the district, which borders Canada. According to the poll, 45% of voters approved of his job performance, compared with 55% who disapproved.
Constantino’s campaign argued that Gendebien remains closely linked to Hochul, despite his efforts to distance himself from the governor. The campaign pointed to financial support from the Hochul-led state Democratic Party.
“Kathy Hochul is Blake Gendebien’s biggest donor and is funding his campaign with hundreds of thousands of dollars,” said Alex DeGrasse, a senior adviser to Constantino.
“Hochul has so much control over him that when he ran an ad saying he would stand up to her, she demanded he take it down, and he did. Blake Gendebien is Kathy Hochul’s puppet and everyone knows it.”
The Gendebien campaign did not retreat Thursday from the candidate’s refusal to endorse Hochul. Instead, it redirected criticism toward Constantino’s relationship with Trump.
“Anthony Constantino says only Donald Trump and [longtime Trump adviser] Roger Stone can control him,” Gendebien campaign manager Michael Waller said. “Reporters looking for someone taking orders from party bosses should start there.”
State Democratic Party Chairman Jay Jacobs, a leading Hochul ally, defended Gendebien’s decision not to publicly endorse the governor. Jacobs said Gendebien must win over Republican voters if he hopes to pull off an upset in the North Country district.
“Blake is focusing on his race and his candidacy. He wants his candidacy to stand on its own,” Jacobs said.