Gotham Gazette

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Kathy Hochul

Kathy Hochul

  • The Issues Dominating the 2022 Election for New York Governor: Where The Candidates Stand

    Kathy Hochul and Lee Zeldin


    This is Part 2 of a two-part article on the issues dominating the 2022 general election for New York Governor between Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul and Republican U.S. Representative Lee Zeldin.Read Part 1 here.

    As Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul and Republican Rep. Lee Zeldin face off in this year’s election for Governor of New York, several top issues have emerged based on what the candidates

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  • What’s Behind the Increased Use of Kendra’s Law in New York City?

    Mayor Adams rides the subway (photo: Mayor's Office)


    When Mayor Eric Adams was on the campaign trail last year, he repeatedly called for city and state officials to step up the use of Kendra's Law – a state law that allows court-ordered outpatient mental health treatment for people deemed dangerous to themselves or others.

    "We must strengthen Kendra’s Law,”

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  • The Issues Dominating the 2022 General Election for New York Governor

    Kathy Hochul and Lee Zeldin


    This is Part 1 of a two-part article on the issues dominating the 2022 race for New York Governor.

    After winning their respective primaries, Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul and Republican Congressional Representative Lee Zeldin are now competing in the general election to become New York Governor from 2023 through 2026.

    The favorites from the start, Hochul and Zeldin both won by comfortable margins in the June primaries. Hochul, a moderate from the Buffalo area and the

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  • After This Year’s Debacle, What’s Next for New York State Redistricting?

    In the State Legislature (photo: NYS Senate Media Services)


    Governor Andrew Cuomo and legislative leaders did not intend to hand map-drawing power to the courts when, in 2012, they hashed out a state constitutional amendment that recast the decennial redistricting process. Nor did they envision, after months of contentious public debate and closed-door negotiations, that the first pass at the new system would result in a hastily-organized, bifurcated election season with two major primaries taking place separately in a single summer.

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  • As General Election for Governor Heats Up, Zeldin's Congressional Votes Contrast with New York Public Opinion

    Rep. Lee Zeldin on the campaign trail (photo: @leezeldin)


    As Republican U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin runs to become New York Governor, he has made the core planks of his general election campaign crime and cost of living. Meanwhile, he has sought to further energize his base to “fire” Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul over a lack of public safety, high taxes, her role as Lieutenant Governor, and more.

    But as the fall general election approaches, Zeldin has continued to take votes in Congress that signify

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  • What Is Lee Zeldin's Gubernatorial Campaign Platform?

    Rep. Lee Zeldin on the campaign trail (photo: @leezeldin)


    U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin, the Republican nominee for New York Governor in this year’s election, is focusing his campaign on public safety, the economy, and cost of living.

    Representing the 1st Congressional District on Long Island, Zeldin is a conservative with close ties to former President Donald Trump trying to accomplish a feat no New York Republican has over the last 20 years: win a statewide election.

    Zeldin’s campaign often

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  • New York’s New State Government Ethics and Lobbying Oversight Body Takes Shape

    The Capitol in Albany (photo: Darren McGee/Governor's Office)


    New York’s newest state government ethics commission, set to replace the infamously dysfunctional Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE), will soon take its first steps when its members are approved by a committee of law school deans. That could take place beginning as soon as this month.

    Nine out of 11 nominees to the new Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government (CELG) have been formally named by New York's statewide elected officials and legislative

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  • After Push by Hochul and Adams, an Increase in Court-Ordered Mental Health Treatment

    Gov. Hochul and Mayor Adams make an announcement (photo: Ed Reed/Mayor's Office)


    According to state data, the number of people placed under court-ordered mental health treatment since April, when lawmakers expanded the court's power to make such determinations, has increased 60% from the same period a year before.

    The data, provided by the state Office of Court Administration (OCA) to Gotham Gazette after an inquiry, shows that during the four-month period from April through July, 462 people in New York were ordered by a judge to

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  • Hochul Launches Long-Awaited Covid Response Review, Releases Request for Proposals

    Gov. Hochul discussing COVID-19 (photo: Mike Groll/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul)


    The state is soliciting bids for outside consultants to conduct a long-awaited review of New York's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Kathy Hochul announced Wednesday.

    The governor is seeking a consulting firm that was not involved in the state's response to do a comprehensive assessment of the steps New York took to curtail the virus and develop an action plan to correct response systems for future emergencies. The announcement came two weeks after ...

  • Hochul Spent $26 Million on Primary Win, Far Outspending Opponents

    Governor Kathy Hochul (photo: governor's office)


    Governor Kathy Hochul has raised more than $38.8 million for her campaign -- the vast majority of it in the 11 months since she became governor -- and spent a whopping $26 million to win the June 28 Democratic primary, according to the latest campaign finance filings with the State Board of Elections.

    Hochul, New York’s first female governor, handily won the primary with 66.5% of the vote against her opponents, New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, who received 19% of the vote, and Rep. Tom Suozzi of Long Island, who got 12.8%. Hochul

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  • Zeldin Rejected from Independence Party Ballot Line After Submitting Faulty Signatures

    U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin (photo: Lee Zeldin flickr)


    U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin, the Republican nominee for governor, was denied the additional general election ballot line for the Independence Party on Thursday after election administrators found his campaign had submitted over 12,000 invalid ballot petition signatures. The petition was reviewed after Libertarian Party officials filed an objection, claiming they found over 11,000 signatures that had been duplicated by photocopy on the document submitted to the state Board of Elections.

    Republicans had filed an independent nominating petition for the

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  • With the Stroke of a Pen, Governor Hochul Can Bring Smaller Classes to New York City Schools

    Gov. Hochul's signature (photo: Kevin P. Coughlin/Office of the Governor)


    The families in my district need – and deserve – smaller classes for their children. The Legislature has overwhelmingly approved a measure that will set new class size limits in New York City public schools. It is now up to Governor Hochul to ensure that the city brings these benefits to our kids.

    For years New York City’s children have had to deal with class sizes among the largest in the state, and my district in Queens is no

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  • Hochul Moves Ahead Slowly on Promised Review of New York's Pandemic Response

    Gov. Kathy Hochul (photo: Mike Groll/Governor's Office)


    Governor Kathy Hochul has yet to hire independent consultants, or even solicit contract bids, for a COVID-19 after-action review the administration said in April was already "underway.”

    After having said in March that she told her team to do a full investigation of the state’s pandemic response, in May Hochul said the state would be working with independent consultants to conduct the investigation. Mark Johnson, a spokesperson for State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli,

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  • Voter Turnout in New York Gubernatorial Primary Drops Sharply from 2018 Surge

    Voter turnout back down (photo: Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office)


    Voter turnout in New York City and State declined dramatically – by nearly half – from the 2018 Democratic primary for governor to the one that closed on Tuesday. 

    In the race for the party's nomination, Governor Kathy Hochul won – by a wide margin – with close to the same number of votes Cynthia Nixon received in 2018 when she lost the Democratic nomination to incumbent governor Andrew Cuomo by a wide margin. The turnout this month was closer to

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  • Antonio Delgado Wins Democratic Nomination for Lieutenant Governor, Creating Ticket with Hochul

    Antonio Delgado, center (photo: Don Pollard/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul)


    Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado, a Hudson Valley Democrat and running-mate with Governor Kathy Hochul, won the Democratic primary on Tuesday, defeating progressive Ana María Archila and centrist Diana Reyna. Delgado, who only took office and joined the race in May, will formally join Hochul on the general election ballot after she emerged victorious in her primary as well.

    "This is the fight of our lives,” Delgado said Tuesday night in a victory speech at the election night party with Hochul. “It's a generational

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  • Kathy Hochul Wins Democratic Nomination for New York Governor

    Gov. Kathy Hochul (photo: Don Pollard/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul)


    Governor Kathy Hochul emerged victorious in the Democratic primary Tuesday, handily defeating her challengers, U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi of Long Island and New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams. The race was called by the Associated Press shortly after polls closed at 9 p.m. as Hochul's wide margin quickly emerged.

    New York’s first female governor, Hochul ascended to the position from Lieutenant Governor upon then-Governor Andrew Cuomo’s August 2021 resignation and she is attempting to win her first term as the

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  • Supreme Court Rulings Put Gun Control and Abortion at Center of New York Elections

    A rally in support of abortion rights (photo: Mike Groll/Governor's Office)


    The U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative majority issued two major rulings this past week, overturning Roe v. Wade federal abortion rights and striking down a New York State law that limited the concealed carrying of firearms. Both judgements have sprawling national implications, including as this year’s elections will decide control of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, with several swing races here in New York.

    The decisions have also brought abortion rights and gun control to the forefront in the middle of a

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  • What is Kathy Hochul's Gubernatorial Campaign Platform?

    Gov. Hochul (photo: Mike Groll/Office of Governor Kathy Hochul)


    Governor Kathy Hochul is running in this year’s election, including this month’s Democratic primary, to win a first full term in the job she ascended to in August of last year. Hochul is seeking more time to fulfill promises she has made throughout her many months in office thus far and as she asks New Yorkers for their votes.

    Since she took office last August after the resignation of disgraced former Governor Andrew Cuomo, the state's first female governor has staked her early tenure on transforming the culture of Albany

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  • New York’s Opportunity to Advance Two Great Choices to the General Election for Governor

    Voting is underway (photo: Michael Appleton/Mayor's Office)


    New York is at a crossroad. Our state faces many challenges, including a resurgent virus, rising gun violence, and political turmoil. We need a Governor who is up to those challenges, who can build consensus in addressing them, who can restore ethics and integrity and honesty to our state government, and who can make us proud again.

    Fortunately, there are such candidates running on both sides of the aisle. That is why Citizens Union, where I am Chair of

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  • Democratic and Republican Candidates for Governor Offer Varied Housing Plans

    New York City (photo: Governor's Office)


    New Yorkers are voting this month in the Democratic and Republican primaries for Governor as the state grapples with an affordable housing crisis that has hit downstate regions home to some two-thirds of its population the hardest. The issue has been far more elevated among the three Democratic candidates to lead the state for the next four years, with the four Republican candidates largely ignoring the topic. That trend changed somewhat when Gotham Gazette asked the Republican campaigns about the issue.

    Candidates on both sides of the aisle do

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  • Democratic Candidates for Governor Make Closing Arguments at Final Debate Before Primary

    Jumaane Williams, Kathy Hochul, & Tom Suozzi


    The three Democratic candidates for governor met at the final debate of the race on Thursday night, among their last opportunities to make an impression with voters before early voting begins on Saturday for the June 28 primary. Governor Kathy Hochul, who is running for her first full term, continues to have significant fundraising and polling advantages over her opponents, U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi and New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams.

    At Thursday’s debate, hosted by NBC New York, Telemundo, and the Albany Times Union, the candidates covered some of

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  • Democratic Candidates for Lieutenant Governor Debate Experience, Policy, and Vision

    (l-r:) Ana Maria Archila, Antonio Delgado, and Diana Reyna


    The three Democratic candidates for New York lieutenant governor met on the debate stage Wednesday night for the first and only time before voters go to the polls this month.

    In the debate, broadcast by Spectrum News NY1, newly-appointed Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado faced off against activist and nonprofit leader Ana María Archila and Diana Reyna, a former City Council Member and Deputy Brooklyn Borough President. The candidates tried to distinguish themselves on their track records, views of the role of lieutenant governor, and stances on

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  • Where They Stand: Compare Democratic and Republican Candidates for Governor on the Issues

    (l-r) Top: Jumaane Williams, Kathy Hochul, Tom Suozzi; Bottom: Rob Astorino, Harry Wilson, Lee Zeldin, Andrew Giuliani 


    The Democratic and Republican primaries in the race to become the next Governor of New York are fast-approaching, with early voting June 18-26 and primary day June 28. With three Democrats and four Republicans making their cases to voters and so much at stake for the future of the state, it's all the more important to compare where the candidates stand on the issues and what they are promising to do if elected.

    Use the interactive tool below to compare the Democratic or Republican

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  • Hochul, Suozzi, and Williams Face Off in Democratic Primary Debate

    Jumaane Williams, Kathy Hochul, & Tom Suozzi


    Governor Kathy Hochul squared off against her Democratic primary opponents, U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi of Long Island and New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, for the first time in a debate on Tuesday night. The debate, televised on CBS TV and radio, took place three weeks from primary day, June 28, and a few days after Hochul declined a debate last week where Williams and Suozzi faced each other on Spectrum News.

    Hochul, who is

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  • Three Democratic Candidates for Governor Set to Debate as Primary Heads Into Final Weeks

    Jumaane Williams, Kathy Hochul, & Tom Suozzi


    With just three weeks till the June 28 primary, and only eleven days till early voting begins June 18, Governor Kathy Hochul is set to face off Tuesday for the first time on the debate stage against her two Democratic primary opponents, U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi of Long Island and New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams.

    The debate, set to air Tuesday at 7 p.m. on CBS television and Newsradio 880, comes a few days after Suozzi and Williams appeared for a debate on Spectrum

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