Democrat Hochul wins New York governor race, AP projects

Follow our live coverage here.NEW YORK – Democrat Kathy Hochul was projected to win a second full term as New York’s governor, defeating Republican Bruce Blakeman in a race polls showed her leading throughout the campaign.Hochul was on track to beat Blakeman, the Nassau County executive, according to a projection from the Associated Press on the evening of Nov 3 shortly after polls closed.Holding on to the New York governor’s mansion was critical for Democrats as they seek to capitalise on voters’ concerns about inflation and war to take control of Congress, seize more statehouses and become a more powerful counterweight to US President Donald Trump.Hochul, a moderate Democrat from Erie County in western New York, campaigned on efforts to lower New Yorkers’ costs of living.Along with prices of petrol and groceries, residents of the state have also watched their electric bills soar.And Hochul promised to address New Yorkers’ affordability concerns and increase childcare access without raising income taxes.Blakeman criticised Hochul for failing to stem rising costs in New York.And he tied Hochul to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist, in an effort to frame her as radical.In turn, Hochul repeatedly hammered Blakeman over his ties to Trump, who endorsed Blakeman and made several campaign appearances on his behalf.A Siena poll in late September found 62% of New York state voters disapprove of the job Trump has done as president in his second term in office.Hochul pledged to continue standing up to Trump, particularly on immigration.After Trump returned to office in 2025 and began a sweeping campaign to deport migrants, Hochul signed strict curbs on local police and correctional facilities cooperating with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.She also implemented a year-long moratorium on the construction of new artificial intelligence data centres in the state, staking out an aggressive position on an issue that has become a major concern for voters in both parties – and shaped election campaigns – across the US. “I want to take a moment to recognise our governor, Kathy Hochul. She has embraced new energy, new ideas and she has continued making your family her fight,” Mamdani said at a watch party for Democrats in New York City.“We have begun the work of transforming our party and making it belong to working people once again.” Hochul and her allies outspent Blakeman and the GOP by about two to one on advertising, putting US$49 million (S$62 million) into her reelection effort compared with US$24.6 million for Blakeman and his supporters as at Nov 2. Michael R. Bloomberg, the founder and majority owner of Bloomberg LP, the parent of Bloomberg News, has donated US$116 million to support Democrats in the midterms.Hochul became New York’s first female governor in August 2021, after former Governor Andrew Cuomo resigned amid sexual harassment allegations. She will begin her second four-year term in January alongside running mate Adrienne Adams.The former New York City Council speaker will be the first Black woman to serve as lieutenant-governor.Adams joined Hochul’s ticket after the current lieutenant-governor, former Representative Antonio Delgado, mounted an unsuccessful primary challenge against Hochul. Hochul will return to Albany facing renewed pressure to raise taxes on wealthy New Yorkers from a growing caucus of legislators backed by the Democratic Socialists of America.Hochul declined to raise corporate or income taxes in 2025, but proposed and enacted a new tax on luxury second homes in New York City in the spring of 2025. Next door in Connecticut, incumbent Democratic Governor Ned Lamont was leading Ryan Fazio, a Republican state senator from the wealthy enclave of Greenwich. BLOOMBERG