I have to agree with you about the NewYorkSpeak comment.
While a lot of us would see that as a threat, there’s another line of belief where the Dem is telling the Rep “I like you. But you’re dealing with some hard-nosed people here and maybe you should be careful about what you say. I’d hate to see something happen to you.”
It sounds to me like she’s making a veiled threat. Just because she represents the West Village where the Genovese family still reigns doesn’t me she has to sound like a mobster.