Debra Messing is breaking from her longtime political party ahead of New York’s gubernatorial race. The actress says she plans to vote for Republican Bruce Blakeman instead of Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul. Messing says her choice comes down to what she believes New York needs right now. She also says party labels no longer decide every vote she makes.
Debra Messing says she no longer believes New York is better off under Kathy Hochul
Messing explained her decision in an Instagram statement. She said she has been a Democrat her whole life and still supports choice, voting rights, the ERA, and gay rights. She also continues to care about keeping children safe from gun violence. But affordability and safety have altered her perception of New York, she said.
Messing said many New Yorkers now struggle with rising living costs. She cited small business owners, teachers, nurses, and young people trying to build their lives in the state. She also criticized policies such as congestion pricing for making life harder to afford. “When the people who keep it running can’t afford to live here,” she wrote, New York risks losing part of what makes it a place of opportunity.
Public safety also plays a major role in Messing’s decision. She said violence on streets and subways frightens her and described a personal experience at her house of worship. “My own was violated by violence in the middle of a Shabbat service,” she wrote. Messing said needing heavy security just to pray does not feel normal to her.
Messing said she voted for Hochul four years ago but does not think New York is better off today. She asked herself, “Who do I believe will actually make life better for the people I love and the place I live?” Her answer was Blakeman, whose campaign she says focuses on affordability and safety.
Messing said she does not agree with Blakeman on everything. She said she still sees him as the right choice on the issues she believes hurt New Yorkers most. She also noted that his campaign says he supports abortion rights and gay rights. “I no longer believe that party affiliation should determine every vote I cast,” Messing wrote, adding that voters should choose based on their own priorities.
