Debra Messing Backs Trump-Endorsed Republican Bruce Blakeman for NY Governor Actress Debra Messing announced she is leaving the Democratic Party to support Republican Bruce Blakeman for New York governor, citing the rising cost of living and subway violence. The longtime Democrat said affordability and public safety concerns drove her decision. Actress Debra Messing announced she is backing Republican Bruce Blakeman for New York governor, citing the rising cost of living and violence on the city's streets and subways. The 58-year-old said she has been a Democrat her whole life but is increasingly concerned about the quality of life in New York City. In an Instagram post, Messing said her focus for years has been on voting rights, the gay community and gun control. She said she still stands by every one of those principles. What has changed, she added, is how she feels about the city and state she loves dearly.Cost Of Living Hurts New York ResidentsMessing wrote that she knows she is not someone choosing between rent and groceries. But she said many of the people who make New York what it is are struggling. She named small business owners, teachers, nurses, and young people trying to start their lives there. She said the rising cost of living and policies like congestion pricing are making it difficult to afford.When the people who live in the city cannot afford to live there, she warned, we risk losing part of what has long made New York an extraordinary place of opportunity. Messing also said she has become increasingly concerned about public safety. The violence we see on our streets and subways frightens me, she wrote.Her comments come amid a national debate over violent transit attacks in Atlanta, New York and Charlotte that have fueled calls for tougher tracking of repeat offenders. Messing said she voted for New York Gov. Kathy Hochul years ago and recently reflected that she did not feel better off than she was four years ago.Messing Chooses Blakeman Over Party LoyaltySo she asked herself a question she would encourage everyone to ask, not which party she is supposed to vote for, but who will actually make life better for the people she loves and the place she lives. She said for her that person was Bruce Blakeman because of his focus on affordability and safety. She noted that his campaign has said he is pro-choice and supports gay rights.She added that she does not agree with him on everything and does not expect to. No candidate is perfect, she continued. But on the issues that are hurting New Yorkers right now, she believes he is the right choice. Yes, he has been endorsed by the President, she wrote, adding that is not what her vote is about.The endorsement drew attention from Fox News, where Kennedy joined The Story to react to Messing's support for Blakeman. The segment discussed Messing's criticism of New York City's decline and the political shift among some Hollywood liberals. Messing has been politically active in the past. She attended a Get Out the Vote canvass launch to encourage voters to cast their ballots for the Biden-Harris ticket in 2020.Hollywood Star Breaks From Long Democratic AffiliationThe actress is known for her role on Will & Grace and other television and film work. Her decision to back a Trump-endorsed Republican marks a notable break from her long Democratic affiliation. It also puts her among a small group of Hollywood figures who have shifted their support in recent elections. The race for New York governor will test whether concerns about affordability, crime and quality of life resonate with voters.Messing said her vote is about the people she loves and the place she lives, not party loyalty.