Kathy Hochul Sails to Re-Election Amid Democratic Blue Wave

Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul locked down a second full term as the leader of New York State with a defeat of Republican Bruce Blakeman, the challenger backed by President Donald Trump, in a contest centered on affordability.

The Associated Press called the race for Hochul minutes after polls closed on Tuesday night, and she was leading with 60% of the vote over the Nassau County executive with 88% of votes counted as of 5 a.m. Wednesday.

In New York City, where registered Democrats far outnumber registered Republicans, Hochul scored 76% of the vote, according to the city Board of Election, with 97% counted.

Hochul’s easy win was an early sign of a Democratic blue wave, with voters across the country revolting over soaring costs under Trump, who had trashed her as a “disaster” who “may be the worst governor in the history of New York State.” Democrats won control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate as well.

This is how we take back our country,” Hochul told supporters who chanted “Four more years!” at the New York Hilton Midtown.

Hochul said she’d work with Trump to deliver for New Yorkers, but added: “If your actions threaten our rights or put their families in risk, I will stand up to you and I will fight you every single time.”

The first woman to serve as New York’s governor spent the last days of the campaign stumping for votes alongside Mayor Zohran Mamdani at the Queens Night Market and at an Astoria bar. But the alliance is now likely to be tested by the mayor’s continuing push to raise taxes on the wealthy to fund housing and childcare in the city, hikes that Hochul has often resisted.

Moments before the polls closed on Tuesday, Mamdani addressed the crowd at Hochul’s election night party and highlighted their positive relationship, a rarity between New York City mayors and the state’s governor.

“The conventional wisdom, for so long, was that as long as there was a governor in Albany, and a mayor in New York City, they would be mired in ego struggles and petty feuds,” he said. “Governor Hochul and I are working together to rewrite what that convention is.”

MORE: Mamdani Ballot Proposals on Public Space, Street Safety and More Pass in NYC

Mamdani endorsed Hochul in early February, weeks after taking over at City Hall, effectively clearing any primary challengers the incumbent might have faced from the party’s left flank. 

The mayor’s endorsement came via an opinion article in The Nation, where he wrote that he had “come to trust Governor Hochul as someone willing to engage in honest dialogue that leads to results.”

On Tuesday he said, “we know there is so much more work to be done.”

Voters had cast more than 1.9 million Election Day ballots across the five boroughs as of 11 p.m., according to the city Board of Elections, including the nearly 700,000 votes recorded during nine days of early voting that ended Sunday.

At a West 166th Street polling place in Washington Heights, voter Marlon Feliz, 35, said she was influenced by the relationship between the mayor and the governor.

“Hochul is not my favorite, but I appreciate the partnership she has with Mamdani and I think it’s productive,” Feliz said.

Doorman Ricardo Guzman, 50, also said he was backing Hochul.

“We don’t have nobody else to be honest and she’s an intelligent woman,” said Guzman, who voted at Alianza Dominicana, a cultural center on West 166th Street. “And power to the women too, we need more women in powerful positions.”

Hochul’s winning ticket included former City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, who was elected lieutenant governor.

Democrats also won the majority of House races across the country, according to the AP, which will tip the balance of power in Congress and elevate Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of Brooklyn as the first Black speaker of the House. The AP also projected that Democrats will retake the Senate, meaning that Sen. Chuck Schumer, who lives blocks from Jeffries in Brooklyn, is now in position to again serve as the Majority Leader.

In other key New York elections, four Democrats recorded cakewalk victories for solidly blue congressional seats that had been hotly contested during the June primary. 

Assemblymembers Claire Valdez and Micah Lasher won their respective contests to succeed retiring Reps. Nydia Velázquez (D-Queens/Brooklyn) and Jerrold Nadler (D-Manhattan), AP reported. Former city Comptroller Brad Lander and political newcomer Darializa Avila Chevalier will now represent the city in Washington after their June primary knockouts of incumbent Reps. Dan Goldman (D-Manhattan/Brooklyn) and Adriano Espaillat (D-Manhattan/The Bronx).

The night marked a major victory for Hochul, who as lieutenant governor took over from Andrew Cuomo in August 2021 in the wake of his resignation over sexual harassment allegations. 

The one-time congresswoman from the Buffalo area then won her first full term four years ago by taking 52.4% of the vote over Republican Rep. Lee Zeldin, a much slimmer than she’d hope for margin of victory in a disastrous night for New York’s state Democrats. 

Democrats lost five House seats in New York in the 2022 midterms, costing the party a slim majority in the House, with then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi appearing to cast blame on Hochul, who lost big in neighborhoods such as Bensonhurst and Homecrest.

Her second victory was significantly more pronounced, as Hochul focused on affordability amid cost-of-living increases while Blakeman said he would tackle high prices by pushing through tax cuts and reducing government spending in his bid to become the first Republican to be elected governor since George Pataki won a third term in 2002.

In the suburbs, a key battleground district flipped to the Democrats. 

NY-17, which spans parts of the Hudson Valley and Westchester County, went to combat veteran Cait Conley, who topped incumbent Rep. Mike Lawler.

With 57% of votes counted, Conley led the second-term congressman by more than 11,000 votes.

Trump campaigned alongside Blakeman in Syracuse last month and in an Election Day social media post , he praised Nassau County’s leaderas a candidate who was “MAGA all the way” and could “Grow the Economy, Cut Taxes and Regulation.” In the same post, the president described Hochul as “Reckless, Radical and Dangerous!”

At her election night celebration, Hochul offered to work with Trump if he lowers costs, brings jobs to New York and makes communities safer, even as she challenged the president.

“If your actions threaten our rights or put New York families at risk, I will stand up to you and fight you every single time,” she said. “Because no matter who occupies the White House, I know who I answer to is the people of New York.”

Dems’ Left Flank Grows Stronger

The Democratic Party’s left flank enjoyed a big night, too.

With the elections of Lander, Valdez and Avila Chevalier, New York’s Democratic House delegation is moving further to the left — and there is also the prospect of a presidential run by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Valdez and Avila Chevalier, both members of the Democratic Socialists of America, join a growing group of democratic socialists in the House who are eager to influence the chamber on some of the most contested issues of the time, including the conflict in Gaza. The group also nearly doubled its representation in the state legislature, with 14 of members slated to be sworn in in January.

Statewide, Attorney General Letitia James bested a spirited challenge from Republican Saritha Komatireddy, a former federal prosecutor; state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli was re-elected to a sixth term.

GOP Suffers Reversals in Brooklyn

Democrats were on track to win several competitive state legislative races in the city and flip seats held by Republicans, according to unofficial results posted by the state elections board.

In southern Brooklyn, Democrat Chris McCreight was ahead of GOP Assemblymember Alec Brook-Krasny in the race for the seat representing Coney Island, Sea Gate and parts of Dyker Heights and Bay Ridge. Democratic challenger Larry He was leading Republican incumbent Steve Chan in the state Senate district including Bath Beach, Bensonhurst and parts of Dyker Heights and Sunset Park.

Democratic challenger Joey Cohen-Saban was poised to beat Republican Assemblymember Michael Novakhov in the district representing Manhattan Beach, Gravesend and Midwood. And Democrat Joyce Xiaoqiong Xie was leading Republican incumbent Lester Chang in the Assembly district including parts of Bensonhurst, Dyker Heights and Sunset Park.

In Queens, Democrat Pesach Osina was ahead of Republican Thomas Sullivan for an Assembly seat left open after Stacey Pheffer Amato retired after four terms representing parts of the Rockaways, Howard Beach and Ozone Park. Democrat Aber Kawas was set to defeat Republican Han-Khon To for a state Senate seat previously held by longtime politico Mike Gianaris, who retired earlier this year. The district includes parts of Astoria, Woodside, Ridgewood and Sunnyside.

Queens Democrat Patrick Martinez was on pace to win his general election against Brandon Castro to represent Woodside, Elmhurst and parts of Maspeth after eking out a primary win by seven points, which had to be hand-counted in the weeks following the June election.  

And Samantha Kattan, who will replace Claire Valdez in the Queens Assembly district covering Sunnyside and parts of Long Island City, Woodside, Maspeth and Ridgewood, ran unopposed.

Voters also approved five ballot proposals that Mamdani says will cut bureaucracy on how the bus and bike lane network is expanded, as well on how the city contracts with small businesses and sells and leases some properties.

“From opening outdoor dining faster to speeding up street safety projects to accelerating housing production, we are cutting red tape that will directly address the affordability crisis and help New Yorkers stay in the city they love,” Mamdani said in a statement. “Now comes the work of turning these votes into results.”

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