Hochul Wins Reelection as New York Governor

Kathy Hochul won reelection as New York governor on November 3, defeating Republican Bruce Blakeman and securing a second full term. The Associated Press called the race shortly after polls closed at 9 p.m. Blakeman later conceded. Hochul and her running mate, former New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, also became the first all-woman ticket elected statewide in New York. Adams is set to become the state’s first Black woman lieutenant governor when the new term begins in January. The margin was still developing the morning after Election Day. Bloomberg reported Wednesday that Hochul led by more than 20 percentage points as votes were being counted. Preliminary figures in other accounts also showed a wide advantage, but certified statewide totals were not included in the reports. Hochul’s win followed a closer contest in 2022, when she defeated Republican Lee Zeldin by about six percentage points. She first became governor in August 2021 after Andrew Cuomo resigned, having served as lieutenant governor. She won her first full term the next year. The campaign focused on affordability, taxes, immigration and public safety. Hochul highlighted tax cuts for middle-income...