It’s so cheesy.
Gov. Kathy Hochul launched a multi-million-dollar ad blitz Wednesday touting her record while standing in a pizzeria — and knead-lessly links her Republican rival Bruce Blakeman to President Trump in the race for governor of New York.
In one 30-second campaign ad — released a week after an independent poll showed Blakeman closing in on her in the deep-blue state — Hochul stands in a Westchester pizzeria and boasts that her first job was slinging slices, while claiming her leadership has provided relief to New Yorkers.
“When I became governor, I cut middle-class taxes, got free meals in our schools and took on the utility companies raising your bills,” the incumbent, who is seeking a second, four-year term as governor, says to the camera.
“Order up, still got it,” she cheesily quips.
In a second ad released by Hochul’s re-election campaign, the entire clip focuses on tying GOP nominee Blakeman to President Trump — and the commander-in-chief’s policies on groceries, utilities and healthcare.
“He’ll always put Trump ahead of you,” the ad booms, while featuring nothing specific about Blakeman’s policies.
Blakeman campaign pollster John McLaughlin mocked the governor’s attempt at slicing up the Nassau County executive’s reputation by linking him to Trump, who is already in his second term and can’t even run for re-election.
He pointed out that it is the unpopular incumbent on the ballot, not the president — and the ad is proof she is scared.
“You don’t run negative ads because you’re way ahead,” McLaughlin said.
The pollster also insisted that many voters did not know Hochul when she defeated Republican Lee Zeldin four years ago by just 6 percentage points.
“Now they know her — and they don’t like her,” he said.
Hochul’s half-baked blitz comes a week after a Siena University poll showed the gubernatorial race tightening, with Hochul leading Blakeman 49% to 39% among likely voters.
Other right-leaning pollsters claim it is even closer, with Hochul’s lead only in the single digits.
Hochul’s campaign insists that the ad blitz is not tied to any poll results, claiming it was planned as part of the state Democratic Party’s coordinated weekend of action — which features more than 150 organizing events.
Blakeman, meanwhile, blasted the campaign clips as deep-dish deception.
“When Kathy Hochul claims she cut your taxes while handing you an $8 billion tax hike, or brags about holding utility companies accountable after granting them 48 separate rate increases, her pants aren’t just on fire, they’re practically incinerated,” Blakeman said in a statement.
“It’s a classic bait-and-switch from the worst Governor in America: Hochul advertises lower costs on your television screen, but delivers higher taxes and constant rate hikes straight to your mailbox,” he railed.
“When I’m Governor, we are extinguishing Hochul’s endless tax hikes, and when we say tax cuts, we will mean actual savings — just like I delivered in Nassau County, where I didn’t raise property taxes a single penny.”
Hochul and the Democratic Party have an enormous nearly four-to-one financial advantage over Blakeman and the Republican Party in the Democratic-leaning state.
Hochul and her party have a combined war chest of about $40 million.
But two Super PACs have formed to help Blakeman, including one largely bankrolled by Madison Square Garden owner James Dolan.
The pro-Blakeman “Strong and Safe New York” Super PAC has set aside more than $1 million on a 30-second spot titled “Get Outta Town” that is slated to run on digital and streaming platforms.
The ad argues Hochul’s policies have New Yorkers fleeing the state.
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