On Sept. 21, Gov. Kathy Hochul's campaign agreed to debate Republican challenger Lee Zeldin once. Hochul agreed to a NY1 debate at 7 p.m. Oct. 25 at Pace University in New York that will be broadcast statewide. Hochul had two debates during her primary election campaign, and Zeldin wanted more than one debate this fall. "This is absolutely unacceptable just how much contempt Kathy Hochul has towards New Yorkers that she is trying to pathetically get away with just one General Election debate over a month after absentee ballots start going out. We should have a live, televised debate right now," Zeldin said in a statement. Zeldin voted to overturn the results of the fair 2020 presidential election, and Hochul is currently facing a controversy about paying more than other states for COVID-19 supplies to a campaign donor. Voting begins Oct. 29 and continues through Nov. 8.