Gov. Kathy Hochul and Republican challenger Bruce Blakeman clashed during their only televised debate on Tuesday. Hochul tied Blakeman to Donald Trump, while Blakeman focused on the high cost of living. Hochul said, "If he would only end this tariffs tomorrow, we could start seeing grocery prices start going down."

The two contenders for governor of New York clashed over issues that include data centers and immigration in a debate that reflected the contentious nature of their contest.

The New York governor's race has gotten louder, nastier and more contentious as Election Day nears.

And on Tuesday, in the only televised debate of the campaign, the sniping between Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, and her Republican challenger, Bruce Blakeman, reached new levels.

A series of public polls has shown Ms. Hochul leading Mr. Blakeman, the Nassau County executive, by between nine and 19 percentage points. During the debate, she avoided any major missteps while hammering home the central message of her re-election run: tying Mr. Blakeman to President Trump.

Mr. Blakeman, who is seeking to better the results of four years ago, when Representative Lee Zeldin came within six points of beating Ms. Hochul, focused on the issue that seems to resonate most with voters: the high cost of living. His pitch Tuesday night revolved around cutting taxes and bringing down utility bills.

Here are five takeaways from a combative evening.

Trump talk from Hochul

Any time Ms. Hochul has mentioned Mr. Blakeman in recent months, Mr. Trump's name has not been far behind. Her campaign advertising has almost exclusively been about the relationship between the men, who are friends and appeared together last week at a rally in Syracuse.

During the debate, the governor did not let up. She said that Mr. Blakeman would be a rubber stamp for Mr. Trump's policies. Whether it was tariffs on Canada, immigration policy or the war in Iran, Ms. Hochul argued that Mr. Trump and Mr. Blakeman were one and the same.

"If he would only end this tariffs tomorrow, we could start seeing grocery prices start going down," Ms. Hochul said. "End the war with Iran, gas prices start coming down. None of this has to be this way, and you support every single thing that Donald Trump does."

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