The key facts
- Kathy Hochul re-elected New York governor, defeating Republican Bruce Blakeman
- Blakeman was backed by President Trump, who in August called Hochul a 'nightmare on fighting crime'
- Hochul has held the post since 2021 following Andrew Cuomo's resignation
Election result
Incumbent New York Governor, Democrat Kathy Hochul, won Tuesday's election, defeating Republican Bruce A. Blakeman, Anadolu reports, citing the Associated Press. The result dashed Republicans' hopes of a more competitive race against the incumbent governor.
Campaign context
Hochul has held the post since 2021, when Andrew Cuomo resigned amid sexual harassment allegations; in 2022 she won her first full term by a narrow margin over Republican Lee Zeldin. In this campaign she emphasized her clashes with the Trump administration, criticized Blakeman's support for the president, and promised to lower the cost of living and invest in education. Blakeman, the Nassau County executive, portrayed Hochul as out of touch with people's problems, arguing that her policies had made the state less safe and less affordable; he also criticized the congestion pricing program for Manhattan and the governor's ties with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Trump backed Blakeman: in August, on Long Island, he called Hochul a 'nightmare on fighting crime,' and in October he held a joint rally with Blakeman in Syracuse.
