Mayor Mamdani Releases Attack Ad Calling Blakeman a 'Bad Apple' in Support of Hochul

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani released a campaign video Thursday supporting Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul and targeting Republican challenger Bruce Blakeman, the Nassau County executive, on Medicaid, child care, and immigration enforcement. The roughly one-minute ad concludes with Mamdani declaring, "Bruce Blakeman? He's a bad apple."

The video revisits a clip in which Blakeman says, "We make sure we cut Medicaid in half," coming just two days after Blakeman stated during Tuesday night's lone gubernatorial debate on NY1, "Let me be clear. I never said that I would cut Medicaid in half." The ad also highlights Blakeman's criticism of subsidized child care for non-working parents and his county's cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Blakeman responded by defending his child-care remarks and criticizing Hochul and Mamdani over taxes, utility costs, and transit fares, but did not address the Medicaid clip.

Mamdani spoke to reporters after appearing alongside Hochul at an affordable housing event in East New York, saying he looks forward to joining her on the campaign trail before Election Day on November 3. He pointed to a joint $1.2 billion child-care investment that launched 2,000 free seats for 2-year-olds this year, with 10,000 more expected next year, as a central reason for his support.