Gov. Kathy Hochul appeared defensive and dismissive while Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman hammered her during Tuesday’s New York gubernatorial debate, according to human behavior and body language expert Dr. Lillian Glass.

Glass told The Post that the Democratic incumbent looked like “a deer in headlights” as her GOP challenger aggressively attacked her over New York’s high energy costs, taxes, and rising antisemitism.

Blakeman also visibly displayed his “anger” at points during the hour-long debate, Glass said. She holds doctorates in counseling psychology and communication disorders and has testified in court as an expert witness in the field.

Hochul stumbled during her opening statement while making the first of nearly 20 references to President Trump throughout the program. Her trouble finding the right words quickly became part of Glass’s rough assessment of the governor’s performance.

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“And you’re going to hear a lot of… lot of… different opinions here this evening,” Hochul said. Glass argued that the moment reflected Hochul’s “defensiveness” and suggested the governor had not adequately prepared.

“It did not come off well, especially for somebody who is an incumbent governor,” Glass said.

According to Glass, that defensive posture continued through Hochul’s long pauses before answering questions. The governor also frequently smiled, looked down at the podium and smiled while Blakeman was speaking.

“There was also a lot of pause time where she had to take her time to manufacture an answer. Whereas Blakeman just went right to it and had answers right back to her and had accusations that were very, very straightforward towards her,” Glass said.

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Glass praised Blakeman’s direct responses and attacks while describing Hochul as visibly embarrassed by the exchanges. In her view, the governor’s blinking, downward glances and smiles showed that she was struggling to handle the confrontation.

“What’s happening is you’re seeing Kathy Hochul really embarrassed. She’s blinking a lot and she’s looking down, smiling. She’s not handling this well,” Glass said.

Glass concluded that Blakeman presented himself better overall during the debate. She was especially critical of Hochul’s voice, saying, “There’s a closing off of her throat, there’s a nasality that’s very difficult to listen to.”

One confrontation centered on changing state laws following the 2024 Cornell University gang rape accusations. Blakeman accused Hochul of failing to use her emeritus board seat at the Ivy League University or the state’s leverage to demand a more immediate investigation.

“As a trustee and as governor, you didn’t call for an independent investigation when you found out that the district attorney was dropping the case. Shame on you,” Blakeman charged.

“The university failed that young woman,” Hochul replied while staring directly into the camera with a blank expression. Glass said Hochul “was like a deer in the headlights.”

“That is a person losing a lot of points and a lot of people having respect for her,” Glass added.

Blakeman could also be seen blinking rapidly during the debate, but Glass rejected the idea that the movement reflected nervousness or insecurity. She instead attributed it to anger over what Hochul was saying.

“That you’re seeing the jaw movement and the eye blinking is not insecurity. It’s anger at what she’s saying,” Glass said.

That reaction became particularly noticeable when Hochul repeatedly accused Blakeman of being politically joined at the hip with Trump. “He’s angry, and he wants to tell the truth, and wants to fight back,” Glass said.

The debate came as Blakeman sought the spark needed to close a gap of 9 to 11 points in recent polls. Democrats also hold a marked registration advantage in deeply blue New York.

Hochul remains highly unpopular in polling, but Blakeman still faces an uphill battle in his effort to defeat the incumbent. Hochul first took office in 2021 after former Gov. Andrew Cuomo resigned in disgrace.

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