New York State In-depth

Man attacks New York Republican Rep. Lee Zeldin at campaign event

U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY)

Source: CNBC

A man attacked New York Republican gubernatorial nominee Rep. Lee Zeldin at an upstate campaign event Thursday evening.

Zeldin was not harmed in the incident, which occurred as he was speaking at a Veterans of Foreign Wars post in Fairport, a village just outside of Rochester, NBC News reported.

The attacker was subdued by members of the audience after he charged Zeldin, WHEC-TV reported.

That NBC affiliate reported that audience members disarmed the man, and put him in zip-ties that were pulled from campaign posters.

The suspect may have had some sort of bladed instruments, NBC News reported.

Zeldin, who represents a congressional district in Suffolk County, Long Island, is campaigning to unseat Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat.

Hochul in a tweet wrote: “Relieved to hear that Congressman Zeldin was not injured and that the suspect is in custody.”

“I condemn this violent behavior in the strongest terms possible — it has no place in New York,” Hochul tweeted.

Hochul took office last year after Gov. Andrew Cuomo resigned in disgrace following accusations of sexual harassment by nearly a dozen women.

This is breaking news. Please check back for updates.

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