NEW YORK (VINnews) — New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Republican challenger Bruce Blakeman clashed over antisemitism, public safety and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani during their only scheduled gubernatorial debate Tuesday night.

Blakeman, the Nassau County executive, invoked the deadly 1991 Crown Heights riots in Brooklyn to question whether Jewish New Yorkers would be protected under the city’s current leadership, according to Haaretz.

The exchange placed antisemitism and concerns about the safety of Jewish communities at the center of the debate ahead of the November election.

Hochul, a Democrat seeking another term, accused Blakeman of undermining public confidence in the New York Police Department, setting up a dispute over policing and how officials should address threats facing Jewish residents.

The candidates also sparred over Mamdani, whose positions and political ties have become a point of contention in the governor’s race, as well as President Donald Trump.

The debate was the only one scheduled between Hochul and Blakeman before Election Day, giving both candidates an opportunity to present their positions on public safety, antisemitism and the direction of New York state.