New York Gov. Kathy Hochul appeared uncomfortable, defensive and at times visibly caught off guard during Tuesday night’s gubernatorial debate against Republican challenger Bruce Blakeman, according to a body language expert who analyzed the candidates’ performances in their only scheduled face-to-face confrontation before the November 3 election.

Dr. Lillian Glass, a specialist in human behavior and nonverbal communication, told the New York Post that Hochul struggled to project confidence as Blakeman, the Nassau County executive, repeatedly challenged her record on taxes, energy costs, antisemitism and other issues confronting New Yorkers.

Glass, who holds doctorates in counseling psychology and communication disorders and has served as an expert witness in court proceedings, described Hochul at one point as resembling “a deer in headlights,” while characterizing Blakeman’s performance as aggressive and confrontational.

The hour-long debate offered voters a rare opportunity to watch the two candidates confront each other directly as Blakeman seeks to overcome Hochul’s polling advantage in a state where registered Democrats substantially outnumber Republicans.

According to Glass, Hochul’s difficulties became apparent almost immediately, when the governor stumbled over her words during her opening remarks.

“And you’re going to hear a lot of… lot of… different opinions here this evening,” Hochul said, hesitating as she began her presentation.

Glass interpreted the moment as an early indication that the governor was uneasy and insufficiently prepared for the confrontation.

“It did not come off well, especially for somebody who is an incumbent governor,” Glass said, arguing that the hesitation suggested a lack of preparation.

“Not good. Not a good look,” she added.

Throughout the debate, Hochul repeatedly invoked President Donald Trump, mentioning him nearly 20 times as she attempted to associate Blakeman with the president and his political agenda.

Blakeman, meanwhile, concentrated much of his criticism on Hochul’s performance as governor, attacking the state’s high cost of living and accusing her administration of failing to adequately address problems affecting New Yorkers.

Glass said she observed a striking difference in how the candidates handled questions and responded to criticism.

Hochul frequently paused before answering, looked down toward her podium and smiled while Blakeman spoke, behaviors that Glass interpreted as signs of discomfort rather than confidence.

“There was also a lot of pause time where she had to take her time to manufacture an answer. Whereas Blakeman just went right to it and had answers right back to her and had accusations that were very, very straightforward towards her,” Glass said.

The expert also pointed to Hochul’s repeated blinking and facial expressions, suggesting that the governor appeared embarrassed by some of the exchanges.

“What’s happening is you’re seeing Kathy Hochul really embarrassed. She’s blinking a lot and she’s looking down, smiling. She’s not handling this well,” Glass said.

Glass was also critical of Hochul’s vocal delivery, arguing that the governor’s speaking style made some of her responses less effective.

“There’s a closing off of her throat, there’s a nasality that’s very difficult to listen to,” she said.

One of the debate’s most contentious moments came during an exchange about allegations involving a 2024 gang rape case at Cornell University and the response of university and state officials.

Blakeman criticized Hochul for what he portrayed as her failure to demand a more aggressive investigation, citing both her position as governor and her emeritus status on Cornell’s board.

“As a trustee and as governor, you didn’t call for an independent investigation when you found out that the district attorney was dropping the case. Shame on you,” Blakeman charged.

Hochul responded by acknowledging the university’s failures in its handling of the matter.

“The university failed that young woman,” she said, looking directly toward the camera.

Glass described Hochul’s expression during the exchange as particularly revealing, suggesting that the governor had been placed in an uncomfortable position by Blakeman’s criticism.

“She was like a deer in the headlights,” Glass said.

“That is a person losing a lot of points and a lot of people having respect for her,” the expert added.

Blakeman also displayed noticeable physical reactions during the debate, including frequent blinking and pronounced jaw movements.

Glass said those behaviors should not necessarily be interpreted as nervousness, arguing instead that they reflected frustration and anger, particularly when Hochul repeatedly attempted to connect him to Trump.

“That you’re seeing the jaw movement and the eye blinking is not insecurity. It’s anger at what she’s saying,” Glass said.

“He’s angry, and he wants to tell the truth, and wants to fight back,” she added.

The debate also included heated exchanges over immigration enforcement, New York’s energy policies and public safety. Blakeman accused Hochul of allowing excessive government spending and maintaining policies that have made the state increasingly expensive, while Hochul defended her administration’s record and challenged her opponent’s positions on immigration and health care.

Antisemitism also emerged as a significant issue. Blakeman criticized New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s views and questioned whether Jewish communities could depend on the city’s leadership during periods of unrest. Hochul responded by defending the NYPD and Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, rejecting suggestions that officers would fail to protect residents.

The candidates also disagreed over the Cornell case, with Hochul defending her decision to involve Attorney General Letitia James as a special prosecutor after losing confidence in the local district attorney’s handling of the allegations.

The political stakes are considerable. Although several recent surveys have shown Hochul holding a lead of approximately 9 to 12 percentage points, a Pollfinity survey conducted October 8–12 among 499 New Yorkers placed the governor at 47% and Blakeman at 44%, with 6% undecided and 3% supporting other candidates.

Hochul, who became governor in 2021 following Andrew Cuomo’s resignation, is seeking another term in a state that has not elected a Republican governor since George Pataki won reelection in 2002.

Early voting begins October 24, with Election Day scheduled for November 3.