"Will and Grace" actress Debra Messing has voted for a bunch of Democrats.
She stumped for Hillary Clinton and even donated to leftist actress Cynthia Nixon's campaign for governor in 2018. And she's been critical of President Donald Trump.
But Messing has just made what has to be considered a pretty stunning endorsement in the New York governor's race. Instead of the present Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul, she's thrown her endorsement to Trumpi-supported Republican nominee Bruce Blakeman.
Messing is a native New Yorker, and the gist of her change is that she's not happy with the decline she feels has been going on in her hometown. She even appeared in a video with Blakeman. “I am so grateful you are running. You are what we need more than anything,” she said during a fundraiser for him.
“The decline in this city over the last four years has been so exponential and devastating — economically, socially and on every level. And obviously, we’ve lost so much business here. People are leaving,” said Messing, an NYU alum.
Messing called the Big Apple the “city I love” but said, “It’s not the city I love anymore.”
She looked at Blakeman and said, “I believe in all my heart that you are the answer. You are the affordable campaign, candidate.
“People are just really struggling. They need their utilities to be lower,” Messing said.
The actress also alluded to the $9 congestion pricing toll to enter Manhattan.
“It’s just too expensive to live in New York City, and I love the fact that is at the top of your mind,” Messing told the Republican candidate.
She's also supportive of Israel and has been very against the New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
But people who have voted Democrat are now turning to Republicans in other races for similar reasons: Democrats have become too extreme and have failed, and voters have just had enough. We're seeing that in places like Michigan too, where Democrats are fleeing the Democrat Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed.
It's a tough race for a Republican in New York. Hochul has the lead, but the race has been tightening. It's now down to single digits as of polling last week: Hochul at 50 percent, with Blakeman at 41 percent.
Blakeman is pushing to lower taxes, which could be very popular with New Yorkers.
Last week, the Nassau County executive vowed that if elected in November, he’d eliminate taxes on the first $50,000 of income for single filers and on the first $100,000 for married couples.
The average income for married couples in 45 of New York’s 62 counties is under $100,000, meaning many of the disaffected rural communities that feel especially abandoned by Albany would see a massive lift, according to his plan.
Meanwhile, people on the left on X were already melting down about Messing, as Blakeman thanked Messing for making the move.
Longtime Democratic supporter and actress Debra Messing endorsed me over Kathy Hochul. Party loyalty doesn’t pay the utility bill or fight crime. Thank you, Debra. I’ll cut taxes, lower utility bills, and make New York safe and affordable. Had enough of Hochul? Join us. https://t.co/L9WdhogABX
— Bruce Blakeman (@NassauExec) October 5, 2026
Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.
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