Rep. Tenney to Newsmax: N.Y. Independent Voters Leaning Toward GOP

Rep. Claudia Tenney, who's seeking reelection in New York's 24th Congressional District, told Newsmax on Tuesday that she's seeing on the campaign trail the same thing a new Siena College poll found — Republicans are opening up a lead among independent voters.

"I'm still going door to door throughout my massive district, which is 12 counties in upstate New York," Tenney, R-N.Y., said on "Wake Up America," explaining that she's hearing that people are hurting from the policies enacted by Democrats holding the majority of offices in the state's government.

"People are really feeling the pinch from inflation. They're also really feeling that obviously, the high gas prices and crime seem to be one of the top issues that I hear about.

"Everyone talks about New York City, but the policies enacted by the one-party rule in Albany are affecting everyone in upstate New York. Crime is just exploding everywhere. People don't feel safe. Businesses don't feel safe."

Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul, Tenney added, has taken away residents' Second Amendment rights, "so there's a real negativity and you don't see very many Hochul signs in upstate New York."

However, there are campaign signs "everywhere" for most Republican candidates, including Rep. Lee Zeldin for governor, Michael Henry for attorney general, Joe Pinion in the U.S. Senate race, and Paul Rodriguez, who's running for in the race for state comptroller, said Tenney.

She added that there is a real possibility for Zeldin to win his race against Hochul and for Henry to defeat incumbent Democrat Attorney General Letitia James.

"We could see a historic win in the likes of [George] Pataki," said Tenney, adding that it was unprecedented for Republican Pataki to win in 1994.

Tenney said that Hochul is "proving she is even worse" than her predecessor Andrew Cuomo, who resigned in August 2021 over sexual harassment claims.

"She's more authoritarian," Tenney said. "She refuses to compromise or work with the Republicans and I think that's going to hurt her. Independents are definitely following the Republican way, and in upstate New York, a lot of Democrats are moving in our direction. If we can get voters out, you're going to see a historic day on Nov. 8."

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