Hochul, Blakeman campaign in NYC during final weekend of early voting

Gov. Kathy Hochul and her Republican challenger, Bruce Blakeman, were pounding the pavement in New York City on Saturday for the final weekend of early voting.

Both candidates held events in hopes of reaching those still undecided.

Hochul was in Brooklyn speaking to the United University Professions Union about the importance of supporting labor jobs in higher education and touting what she describes as a promising future for New York.

"The world is changing for so much better. I understand the struggles, I truly do," she said. "New York state is the number one economy in America, fastest growing economy. The jobs are coming here. Everything is changing."

Blakeman was in Queens, taking shots at Hochul's tenure as governor.

"We will save our state. We will make New Yorkers happy again," he said.

He said that same future for New York that Hochul was celebrating is not possible with her in office.

"We can't look our kids and grandkids in the eye and honestly say, 'You're going to have a better life in New York than I did,' unless we change the leadership of this state," Blakeman said. "That is our mission."

New Yorkers are continuing to make their voices heard, casting early votes ahead of Tuesday's Election Day.

More than 104,000 people voted across the five boroughs on Saturday alone, and more than 572,000 people in the city have cast their ballots since early voting began on Oct. 24, according to the city Board of Elections.

A recent Oct. 28 governor's race poll conducted by Siena University had Hochul leading Blakeman by a double-digit lead, but with a few more days of campaigning left, Hochul is looking to extend her lead while Blakeman looks to turn the tides.

In addition to the governor's race, all members of the state Senate and Assembly are up for election.