Trump-Backed Candidate for Governor Wants No Part of Question Asking If Trump Was ‘A Great President’

Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY) had no interest in answering a question about Donald Trump posed to him by Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) in Tuesday night’s New York gubernatorial debate.

At one point, the candidates were allowed to ask each other questions, and Hochul took the opportunity to inquire about Zeldin’s views on Trump, who endorsed the congressman for governor.  Zeldin was a staunch Trump ally when he was in the White House, but has sought to put some distance between him and the former president ahead of the general election in deep blue New York.

“I got a real simple one,” Hochul said, teeing up her question. “This is a yes or no. We’ll move right on. Is Donald Trump a great president?”

Zeldin refused to give the yes/no response Hochul was seeking.

“I worked closely with him on–” Zeldin began, before the governor interrupted him.

“Yes or no,” she demanded.

Zeldin proceeded to tout his work with Trump to fight the gang MS-13 on Long Island, parts of which he represents. He also pointed to a new research facility in the area he said he helped secure, as well as Trump’s Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates.

“I’ll take that as a resounding ‘yes,'” Hochul replied after Zeldin finished his response. “And the voters of New York do not agree with you.”

Trump’s endorsement has been sought by Republican candidates across the country during Republican primaries. However, in some states and districts, that endorsement can be seen as a liability in general elections where the electorate is largely anything but solidly Republican.

Watch above via NY1.