Hochul shouldn't run again in 2026, Rep. Torres says
And a former Assembly member is running for New York City mayor.
Good afternoon — it’s Friday and Cranberry Relish Day.
In today’s CapCon:
Gov. Kathy Hochul shouldn’t run for reelection, Rep. Ritchie Torres says.
Here’s why New York filed an emergency mixed martial arts regulation this month.
How could New York’s agriculture industry change under Trump?
A former member of the Assembly is running for New York City mayor.
🗣️ Torres says Hochul shouldn’t run for another term in 2026
Gov. Kathy Hochul has become everyone’s favorite punching bag and she knows it.
To her, that’s not a bad thing and, sometimes, it’s by design. If you ask her why she does some of the controversial things she does, she’ll sometimes tell you it’s to take heat off someone else.
Hochul has tried to reshape the role of governor as one of collaboration with the Legislature and on-the-ground stakeholders. Her predecessor, former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, liked to instead stake out a position and convince others to share it.
But Hochul’s strategy hasn’t been to her benefit politically. Her latest favorability rating was at 36% last month, according to a Siena poll.
And that could derail her plans to seek a second term as other Democrats seek to raise their profile two years out from the election for governor.
“Kathy Hochul is the new Joe Biden,” Rep. Ritchie Torres said Friday. He first spoke with Politico, then shot out his own missive.
“She may be in denial about the depth of her vulnerabilities as a Democratic nominee,” Torres said. “A Democratic incumbent who is less popular in New York than (President-elect) Donald Trump is in grave danger of losing to a Republican in 2026 – an outcome not seen in 30 years.”
Trump’s favorability was at 38% in New York in the same Siena poll last month.
Torres said earlier this week that he’s not ruling out a run for governor. Hochul won the race for governor by the closest margin in about three decades. Add to that the fact that all but one county shifted right in this year’s elections, and Torres said it’s a recipe for defeat.
“Waiting until it’s too late gave us a Republican president in 2024 and could give us a Republican governor in 2026,” Torres said. “Let’s avoid repeating history and avoid sleepwalking toward impending disaster and defeat.”
A spokeswoman for the state Democratic Party responded to Torres’ potential run in a statement, saying Hochul is currently focused on crime and affordability.
“Gov. Hochul is proud to have led New York Democrats in a successful election cycle, giving Congressman Torres four new Democratic colleagues in Congress,” said Jen Goodman, the spokeswoman.
🌱 Delgado could be planting a seed as well.
I couldn’t tell you the last time Hochul and Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado appeared in public together.
The most recent photo of them together on Hochul’s Flickr account, where her office posts all their photos, is from more than two years ago. Delgado was tasked with leading up the Hate and Bias Prevention Unit and regularly represents the Hochul administration at events.
The pair had a major disagreement earlier this year, albeit not publicly, about President Joseph R. Biden’s reelection. Hochul came out as one of Biden’s top supporters while Delgado called on him to drop out.
“I have said that people are allowed to express their opinions,” Hochul said at the time. “I just happen to disagree because I want to focus on defeating Donald Trump.”
But they’re not estranged from each other. Hochul is still including quotes from Delgado in relevant releases.
That doesn’t mean Delgado isn’t considering a run against her in 2026.
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