A New York gubernatorial candidate was attacked during a rally: the attacker tried to stab him with a knife
'22.07.2022'
Nadezhda Verbitskaya
On July 21, Lee Zeldin (GOP candidate for governor of New York) was attacked by a man who tried to stab him at an upstate event. But the congressman escaped serious injury, reports ABC News.
“I am fine,” Zeldin said in a statement. “Fortunately, I was able to grab his wrist and stop him before the others stopped him.” The attacker was taken into custody, and the congressman continued his speech. This November, he will face off against incumbent Democratic Governor Katie Hokul.
The assailant climbed onto a low stage where a congressman was speaking to an audience of several dozen people in Rochester.
tonight, @leezeldin was targeted in a violent attack at a campaign rally in Monroe County. Thanks to the swift action of several brave event goers, the perpetrator was subdued. Congressman Zeldin, @EspositoforNY, and all attendees are safe, but this could have ended much worse. pic.twitter.com/eiq1qxuRDd
— New York GOP (@NewYorkGOP) July 22, 2022
Among those who helped subdue the attacker was former NYPD Deputy Inspector Alison Esposito.
State Republican Party chairman Nick Langworthy said he had no details about the assailant or his weapon. But he later exchanged text messages with Zeldin while the congressman was talking to police.
"He is OK. He is not seriously injured,” Langworthy remarked, saying that Zeldin only had a small scratch.
In her speech, Hokul condemned the attack. And she said she was “relieved to hear that Congressman Zeldin was unharmed and the suspect was in custody.”
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Monroe County Sheriff's Deputy Brendan Hurley said the office was aware of the incident during Zeldin's gubernatorial candidate's speech. The suspect is in custody and an investigation is underway.
Langworthy asked Hokul to provide bodyguards for Zeldin to protect him during the campaign.
“Things could have been much worse. In fact, it is terrible and unacceptable,” he said.
Hokul spokesman Avi Small forwarded questions about giving Zeldin protection to the New York State Police.
Zeldin, a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve who has represented eastern Long Island in Congress since 2015. He is a staunch ally of President Donald Trump and was among the Republicans in Congress who voted against approving the 2020 election results.
Lee Zeldin has focused his campaign on fighting crime, but he has an uphill battle against Hokul. He will need to convince independent voters, who outnumber Republicans in the state, as well as Democrats, to win the general election.
