Governor Kathy Hochul has officially kicked off her re-election campaign, promising to push back against President Donald Trump's policies and continue her initiatives as a champion for New Yorkers. In a 20-plus minute speech at the Democratic State Convention, Hochul urged delegates to support her second full term in office.
"We can achieve a better New York and a better future for everyone who calls this place their home," Hochul said, drawing thunderous applause from the crowd.
Hochul's running mate, Adrienne Adams, former New York City Council Speaker, also received a standing ovation as she appeared on stage with Hochul. The pair highlighted key policy initiatives, including expanding child tax credits and banning cellphones in schools.
However, Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado broke with his ticketmate and challenged Hochul's nomination, securing 14.7% of the weighted votes. Despite this setback, Delgado vowed to continue his primary campaign, promising to circulate nominating petitions.
Despite internal Democratic disputes, Hochul remains confident in her chances. She has secured endorsements from local party leaders, major labor unions, and all members of the state's congressional delegation, including progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and moderate Rep. Tom Suozzi.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, also endorsed Hochul on Thursday, despite expressing disagreements with her on taxation. The governor's budget plan, which doesn't raise income taxes, has been met with criticism from Republicans, who have rallied behind Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman as their party's nominee.
As the primary season heats up, Hochul emphasized the importance of winning back seats in the U.S. House and limiting federal immigration enforcement. In her speech, she warned delegates that "you don't want to mess with the bad-ass women of New York," implying that Republicans would face significant opposition from the state's empowered female voters.
In a statement, Hochul said: "We have to win enough races in Congress here in the state of New York – and not do crazy stuff in this state, OK?" Her determination to push back against Republican policies and protect New Yorkers has sparked enthusiasm among Democrats and energized her campaign.
"We can achieve a better New York and a better future for everyone who calls this place their home," Hochul said, drawing thunderous applause from the crowd.
Hochul's running mate, Adrienne Adams, former New York City Council Speaker, also received a standing ovation as she appeared on stage with Hochul. The pair highlighted key policy initiatives, including expanding child tax credits and banning cellphones in schools.
However, Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado broke with his ticketmate and challenged Hochul's nomination, securing 14.7% of the weighted votes. Despite this setback, Delgado vowed to continue his primary campaign, promising to circulate nominating petitions.
Despite internal Democratic disputes, Hochul remains confident in her chances. She has secured endorsements from local party leaders, major labor unions, and all members of the state's congressional delegation, including progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and moderate Rep. Tom Suozzi.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, also endorsed Hochul on Thursday, despite expressing disagreements with her on taxation. The governor's budget plan, which doesn't raise income taxes, has been met with criticism from Republicans, who have rallied behind Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman as their party's nominee.
As the primary season heats up, Hochul emphasized the importance of winning back seats in the U.S. House and limiting federal immigration enforcement. In her speech, she warned delegates that "you don't want to mess with the bad-ass women of New York," implying that Republicans would face significant opposition from the state's empowered female voters.
In a statement, Hochul said: "We have to win enough races in Congress here in the state of New York – and not do crazy stuff in this state, OK?" Her determination to push back against Republican policies and protect New Yorkers has sparked enthusiasm among Democrats and energized her campaign.
? I mean, I love a good underdog story as much as the next person, but let's be real, this is New York - we've seen it all before 
. And what's up with the whole "bad-ass women of New York" thing? Is she trying to appeal to our inner Mean Girl or something? 
Meanwhile, I'm still waiting for her to actually propose some real, concrete solutions to our state's problems... not just a bunch of feel-good platitudes 
.
! The drama with Delgado's split vote is just the beginning - we'll see how far he takes his challenge, but it seems like Hochul's got this one in the bag 
. I mean, endorsing Ocasio-Cortez and Suozzi is a pretty strong move, shows she's listening to the progressive crowd 
. The question is, can she really deliver on those promises and keep her promise not to raise income taxes? It'll be interesting to see how the debate plays out, especially with Blakeman as the Republican nominee 
. One thing's for sure, it's gonna be a wild ride in NY politics 
!
Just looked at the stats on Hochul's approval rating over the past 4 years... 74% of NYers approve of her job as governor! 
That's a huge boost in support for re-election 
. But did you know that her poll numbers have been steadily increasing since she took office? From 58% in 2021 to 74% in 2023, it's clear the people love what she's doing 
.
Also, let's talk about her campaign finance data... $15 million raised so far for re-election efforts 
. Compare that to Delgado's $2 million 
. Not a lot of competition there 
. But hey, you can't count out the underdog... after all, 14.7% of weighted votes against Hochul is still a respectable showing 
. It's clear she's got the people on her side... for now 
.
One thing to watch out for: Hochul's budget plan hasn't raised income taxes, but it's still being met with criticism from Republicans 
. We'll see how that plays out in the primaries 
she's got some big shoes to fill after 2020 but her policies sound pretty decent expanding child tax credits and banning cellphones in schools is a win in my book 
i'm also loving the fire she brought out during that speech "you don't want to mess with the bad-ass women of New York" gives me all the 
i hope delgado doesn't cause too much drama for her campaign
. And let's be real, her tough talk about taking on Trump's policies is music to the ears of many Democrats 
.
. And don't even get me started on how Republicans are gonna go all out against her - I mean, Blakeman's already making moves 
and Hochul's re-election campaign is getting more drama by the day 
. And what's with all these divisions within the Democratic party? Can't they just get along and support their own girl 
? Hochul's got some solid endorsements, but I think she's underestimating her opponents 
.
. Delgado breakin' off and gettin' 14.7% of the weighted votes is a big deal – it shows that not everyone's on board with her vision for New York 
.
️ ... gotta see how it goes down 
the fact that delgado got 14.7% of the weighted votes is still kinda a bummer, but idk if it's the end of the world for hochul she's got some solid endorsements from local leaders and reps like ocasio-cortez which is fire 
. But, gotta feel bad for Delgado, seems like he got a bit of a cold shoulder from his own party 
. Still, 14.7% is no joke, so let's see how this primary season plays out 
I'm feeling pretty optimistic about Kathy Hochul's re-election chances 
. One thing that really stood out was how she connected with the crowd and seemed genuinely passionate about her policies 
. I'm curious to see how her campaign plays out over the next few months 
.
. and can we talk about how fierce she sounds? "bad-ass women of new york" 
, girl's got sass! but seriously, it's gonna be interesting to see how the primary season plays out. i'm rooting for her to win those seats in the u.s. house 
, and limiting federal immigration enforcement is a major win in my book 
let's get out the vote and show those republicans who's boss 
. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is always a game-changer for any candidate