Can Williams or Suozzi steal a moment in tonight's gubernatorial debate?

Gov. Kathy Hochul's challengers would need a last-minute spark [FORWARD TO A FRIEND]( [VIEW IN BROWSER]( [DONATE]( [WNYC Politics Brief] [Ad: We connect health and social care. click here to find out more at unite us dot org]( Advertisement Three leading Democratic gubernatorial candidates will debate tonight. Here's what to look for. [By David Cruz]( [Jumaane Williams, Kathy Hochul, Tom Suozzi, seen from left to right] The three leading Democratic gubernatorial candidates for the June primary will appear together for the first time Tuesday night in the second of three televised debates. The first debate took place last Thursday without Gov. Kathy Hochul — a mainline Democrat and perceived front-runner in the race — who skipped it to monitor the end of the legislative session in Albany, according to her campaign. This left her two opponents — progressive New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and centrist Rep. Tom Suozzi of Long Island — to lay out their vision for New York. Both are considered largely underdog candidates compared to Hochul, whose $30 million campaign war chest, coupled with key endorsements and [positive polling numbers]( make her a formidable opponent. But Hochul's campaign hasn’t been a smooth ride — her first lieutenant governor, Brian Benjamin, was charged in a bribery scheme, forcing his resignation and losing a critical element to her campaign strategy. Here's what to watch for in tonight's debate, which airs at 7 p.m. on WCBS-TV (Channel 2) and on WCBS 880 AM, and [can be streamed online]( Hochul will likely bear the brunt of any broadside Suozzi and Williams haven’t generated the kind of momentum each candidate sought to build, between their lack of endorsements and small fundraising sums, which means they likely see tonight as a chance to create a defining moment. "This is going to be almost entirely consumed with attacks on Kathy Hochul," said Kean University's David Birdsell. "That she is either, on the one hand, not progressive enough, not sufficiently representative of underrepresented communities in New York [...] And on the other hand you’re going to have Tom Suozzi making arguments that she is insufficiently inattentive to public safety." The gloves will come off, but male candidates will might temper their attacks For the first time in state gubernatorial history, male candidates will be taking on a sitting female governor. This means any attack by Suozzi or Williams against Hochul will have to be measured, according to Fordham University political science professor Dr. Christina Greer. "To debate a female candidate is a different finesse," said Greer. "Tom Suozzi can’t be seen as too aggressive because he’s running to his right of her. So I think we’ll see, hopefully, substantive attacks." This doesn’t mean Hochul will be given a pass. "Oftentimes sitting electeds don’t want to do these things because they feel they’re sometimes beneath them," Greer said, adding she’ll be watching for Hochul's demeanor. Buffalo Bills, public safety and pandemic will be key debate topics While political experts agreed this is Hochul’s race to lose, how to manage the state’s issues will remain at the center of this debate for the candidates. "I think crime and economy are absolutely the key go-to issues," said Kean University's David Birdsell. "In some respects, COVID, yes, but at this stage I don’t expect anybody to be debating heavily to COVID policy simply because we’ve learned, or at least we should’ve learned by this point, the virus is immune to our best planning." Political strategist Hank Sheinkopf stipulates that public safety will be an issue aggressively touched on, with Hochul touting her record on the issue. "She’ll talk about what she’s done, but frankly most of what she’s done doesn’t bear careful analysis because it’s already been in place. We have the toughest gun control laws in the country right now, in New York City and New York state,” said Sheinkopf. "All she’s got to do is keep the guys at bay at a time of the attempt to stop abortion in this country. And as a woman she immediately gets the advantage. And as an incumbent she gets an advantage." But if there was one surefire point that will likely be raised by Suozzi and Williams, it's Hochul’s decision to lobby for a $600 million public subsidy for a new Buffalo Bills stadium, the biggest public subsidy ever provided for an NFL team. (Erie County earmarked an additional $250 million to the stadium deal.) Both candidates charged that Hochul prioritized this earmark over more critical projects for the state. Suozzi’s criticism over the Bills deal goes back to when the deal was cut. "Couldn’t there at least be a debate about it? Couldn’t there have been a public hearing? Did it have to be that it was negotiated in secret and then done four days before the budget?" Suozzi said on the Brian Lehrer Show on WNYC in April. A full rundown of the candidates and where they stand on the issues can be found [here](. --------------------------------------------------------------- 🗳️ --------------------------------------------------------------- [Ad: We connect health and social care. click here to find out more at unite us dot org]( Advertisement --------------------------------------------------------------- For Further Reading [State Sen. Tom Kean Jr.] [The races to watch in today's Congressional primary in New Jersey]( The polls are open until 8 p.m. in the Garden State, where a pair of moderate Republicans are trying to fend of pro-Trump challengers. [City Hall in New York City] [Commission delays release of proposed NYC Council maps to gather public input]( The panel that was supposed to release new City Council district maps on June 7th said it wants time to gather more public input about where lines should be drawn. [a sign promoting to-go cocktails in a restaurant window] [What did and didn't pass during Albany's legislative session this year]( Yes to 24/7 speed cameras, to-go cocktails and new gun control measures. No to the Good Cause Eviction bill and the Equality Amendment. Here's a full breakdown. [the inside of the Assembly chamber in Albany] [With Albany's session over, lawmakers turn attention to the primary]( We're also one week out from the deadline for the Board of Elections to receive absentee ballot applications. [Rep. Chris Jacobs being sworn in] [Buffalo-area Rep. Chris Jacobs won't run again after supporting gun control]( Jacobs, a first-term Republican who said he'd support an assault weapons ban after a racist mass shooting in Buffalo, won't run for reelection after facing major backlash from his party. --------------------------------------------------------------- 🗳️ --------------------------------------------------------------- [Ad: We connect health and social care. click here to find out more at unite us dot org]( Advertisement [the logo for Dead End] [Season Finale: Dead End]( If a family as powerful and well-connected as the Sheridans gets such bad treatment, what does this say about the justice system in New Jersey? [LISTEN]( Support WNYC + Gothamist Make a donation to support local, independent journalism. Your contributions are our largest source of funding and pays for essential political coverage and more. 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