Congressman Lee Zeldin, the Republican candidate for governor of New York, said Thursday that a man climbed on stage and tried to stab him during a campaign event. Zeldin said he was not seriously injured in the attack, and the perpetrator was taken into custody.
“I’m fine,” Zeldin said in a statement. “Luckily I was able to grab his wrist and stop him for a few minutes before others got hold of him.”
Zeldin, who will face incumbent Gov. Kathy Hochul in November, said he was speaking to supporters in Fairport, N.Y., when the man tried to attack him. Zeldin said he was able to finish his speech after law enforcement arrested the man. He did not provide information about the alleged attacker.
A video has emerged showing a man approaching Zeldin as he speaks on stage. The man who seemed to be holding something in his hand paused briefly before bringing his hand up to Zeldin’s face. Zeldin can then be seen grabbing the man’s wrist before he is subdued.
Congressman Lee Zeldin, R-New York, speaks to members of the media before closed-door testimony with Fiona Hill, former National Security Council Russia expert, on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, US, on Monday, October 14 , 2019. Stephanie Reynolds/Bloomberg via Getty Images
His spokesman said all members of Zeldin’s team, including lieutenant governor nominee Alison Esposito, are safe.
“It’s getting very out of hand in this state,” the spokesman said in the statement. “Sadly, Congressman Zeldin is just the latest New Yorker whose life has been affected by New York City’s out-of-control crime and violence.” This has got to stop!’
Hochul released a statement on Twitter saying he was “relieved to hear” that Zeldin was unharmed.
“I condemn this violent behavior in the strongest possible terms – it has no place in New York,” she wrote.
My team briefed me on the incident tonight at the Lee Zeldin campaign. I was relieved to hear that Congressman Zeldin was not injured and that the suspect was in custody. I condemn this violent behavior in the strongest possible terms – it has no place in New York.
— Kathy Hochul (@KathyHochul) July 22, 2022
Zeldin is an Army Reserve lieutenant colonel who has represented Long Island since 2015, according to the Associated Press. He is a loyal supporter of President Trump and voted against certifying the 2020 election results, the AP said.
New York State Republican Party Chairman Nick Langworthy told The Associated Press that he had no further information about the incident, but that he exchanged text messages with Zeldin after the congressman spoke with police. “He’s fine. He’s not seriously injured. It’s just chaos out there,” Langworthy told the AP. He said Zeldin suffered a “little scrape” but nothing to consider as an injury.
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Victoria Albert
Victoria Albert is a senior news editor at CBS News. Contact her at victoria.albert@viacomcbs.com
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