New York Governor’s Race This Week is a weekly column by USA TODAY Network-New York reporters highlighting aspects of the 2026 campaign to lead the Empire State.
Republican gubernatorial candidate and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman is calling for an investigation into Gov. Kathy Hochul and the state agency in charge of overseeing hotel placements for unhoused New Yorkers after a recent fatal fire that took place at a Broome County inn.
On Monday, June 22, a fire consumed the Knights Inn in Endwell, New York, killing six people, state police confirmed. More than 70 people living at the inn, which has been used as emergency housing by the Broome County Department of Social Services to shelter unhoused people, were displaced as a result.
A man staying there, 24-year-old Tyler J. Russell, was charged with six counts of manslaughter and one count of fourth-degree arson in connection with the incident.
Blakeman calls Endwell fire ‘criminal negligence’ and demands answers from Hochul and state
Blakeman called for an immediate investigation into the governor and the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance on Tuesday, June 23, asserting there’s a long history of “systemic neglect” and “hazardous failures” with the inn.
“The fatal fire in Broome County is a profound tragedy that could have been prevented,” Blakeman said.
“The New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance oversees hotel placements for homeless New Yorkers, yet Kathy Hochul’s administration allowed taxpayer dollars to subsidize a slumlord operation where children slept five to a bed, doors didn’t lock, and the walls were literally rotting,” he continued.
“Kathy Hochul owes the families of the victims and every taxpayer in this state an answer for this criminal negligence,” Blakeman added.
Pulling state inspection information from a 2025 investigation done by New York Focus on New York’s increased use of hotels for emergency housing for the state’s unhoused population, Blakeman’s campaign highlighted that the inn received several safety violations between 2018 and 2021.
Additionally, records show the facility continually failed inspections for two-and-a-half years and experienced an accidental fire in 2024 due to a faulty space heater.
Hochul has not spoken publicly about the incident but a spokesperson for the governor’s office provided the following statement: “The Governor is deeply saddened by this senseless tragedy. She is grateful to the New York State Police, State Fire, the Department of Transportation and our local partners who acted swiftly and provided thorough assistance in this criminal investigation. The Governor believes that the individual responsible must be prosecuted and held accountable to the fullest extent of the law and her Administration stands ready to assist our local partners as they work to provide services to those who have been impacted.”
Hochul’s lead over Blakeman continues to grow in latest poll results
In the latest Siena Research Institute poll of more than 1,100 New York registered voters, Hochul’s lead increased to 20 points over her Republican challenger Blakeman, up from a 16-point lead in April.
According to the poll, Hochul’s lead has widened in downstate suburbs, she has a better than three-to-one lead in New York City and more independent voters are now leaning toward voting for her as that lead has grown to five points after leaning toward Blakeman by two points in April.
Both Hochul and Blakeman’s favorability ratings increased from April, however, and the two are “virtually tied upstate,” the poll reveals.
“Governor Hochul now has a break-even favorability rating, and a majority of voters approve of the job she’s doing as governor,” Siena pollster Steven Greenberg said. “Hochul gained a little ground against Blakeman, who despite having his best ever favorability rating, still has a majority of voters not knowing him or not knowing enough about him to have an opinion.”
Hochul campaign spokesperson Ryan Radulovacki applauded the poll results on Thursday, June 25.
“New Yorkers see clearly that Donald Trump’s puppet Bruce Blakeman raised taxes on Long Islanders, lets ICE run rampant, and pledged to gut Medicaid — and they know Governor Hochul puts money back in families’ pockets at every opportunity, from free school meals to cutting the cost of car insurance, and always stands up for New York against Trump’s attacks,” Radulovacki said.
And Blakeman chose to focus on the poll revealing the cost of living as being one of the two most important issues facing New Yorkers currently.
“Even a biased poll can’t cover up the wreckage of empty wallets across Kathy Hochul’s New York, as 77% of the state names the cost of living as out of control thanks to Hochul’s tax and utility rate hikes,” Blakeman said.
Blakeman comments on NY-10 Democratic candidate Brad Lander
While a guest on Newsmax network news and talk show Ed Henry: The Briefing on Wednesday, June 24, Blakeman criticized former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, who won the Democratic primary for New York’s 10th Congressional District earlier this week.
“Brad Lander, he’s a disgrace,” Blakeman said. “He’s anti-American, he’s antisemitic, even though he’s Jewish. This guy would be a camp guard in the concentration camp if he could.”
Blakeman partially walked back his remark in the following statement on Thursday: “Maybe camp guard was too strong, but certainly collaborator as Brad Lander turned his back on the Jewish community when he locked arms with the extremists who want to wipe Israel off the map, send pro-Israel Americans to concentration camps, and refuse to condemn the slaughter of women and babies on October 7.”
Lander responded to Blakeman’s comments on Thursday, saying he named his son after a leader of the Warsaw ghetto uprising Marek Edelman.
“That’s how seriously I take the legacy of Jews who fought Nazis,” Lander added.
“I don’t know where Bruce Blakeman went to Hebrew school, but I was taught that ‘Never Again!’ means never again to anyone. Standing up for Palestinian human rights doesn’t make me any less proud to be Jewish, or any less serious about fighting antisemitism. New Yorkers, including Jewish New Yorkers, will resoundingly reject Blakeman’s far-right MAGA bigotry this November,” he continued.
And Hochul called the Nassau County executive’s comments “absolutely despicable” on Thursday.
“It just reminds New Yorkers that every single time Bruce Blakeman opens up his mouth, he’s simply auditioning for his next role in the Trump administration after he loses the election,” Hochul told a Spectrum News reporter.
“What he did in doubling down on his disgusting remarks disqualifies him from public office,” Hochul continued, adding Blakeman should apologize.
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Here are some additional topics related to the governor’s race that the USA TODAY Network-New York has reported on this week:
Emily Barnes covers state government for the USA TODAY Network-New York with a focus on how policy and laws impact New Yorkers’ taxes, communities and jobs. Follow her on Instagram or X @byemilybarnes. Get in touch at ebarnes@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Deadly motel fire, latest poll lead NY governor’s race this week
Reporting by Emily Barnes, New York State Team / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Emily Barnes, New York State Team | USA TODAY Network
