Governor Kathy Hochul and Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado are ahead in the polls and Election Night’s unofficial winners with over 50% of the votes in the gubernatorial and lieutenant governor’s race.
Hochul and Delgado celebrated their projected win in Manhattan while losing opponents, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and Ana Maria Archila, partied at their gathering in Bushwick, Brooklyn.
he June primary determines the Democratic and Republican nominees for governor and lieutenant governor in November’s general election later this year.
Hochul scored 66.48 % of the votes, according to the New York State Board of Elections (NYSBOE), and will be reelected as the first female governor of New York after 10 months as an interim governor. Her running mate and former upstate congressmember, Delgado, got 57.10 % of the votes.
In New York City specifically, Hochul got about 60% of the votes and Delgado won about 55% of the votes, said the NYC BOE. Just ahead of the election Hochul was endorsed by Mayor Eric Adams over Williams for governor.
In her speech on Election Night, Hochul thanked Williams for his passion and dedication to the city. She also vowed to protect abortion rights and gun laws in the face of fierce “right wing extremist” opposition. She said that the Democratic party would prevail.
“Two days from now, we will respond to the Supreme Court’s assault on my right as the governor of New York to protect New Yorkers from concealed weapons,” said Hochul on Tuesday night, “and we’ve gone on offense to protect abortion rights, increasing protection for providers, increased our funding, expanding our capacity. And making the world know that New York State is a safe harbor for America’s women.”
One Prospect Heights voter, who cast her ballot at the Brooklyn Museum, said that she voted to reelect Hochul because she seems like “a strong leader” based on her track record so far. The voter declined to give her name, but she said that she is originally from Washington State and has lived in Brooklyn for the past year after attending college in upstate New York.
Meanwhile, in an eclectic gathering of progressives and supporters in Brooklyn, Williams and Archila were surprisingly celebratory. Williams said it was no secret that the Working Families Party-backed campaign was “an uphill battle” from jump, but was jokingly excited that he scored more than 6% of the votes. He was joined by his family on stage, including his mother, his wife who is now cancer-free, and his newborn daughter. He congratulated Hochul on her win and thanked all the elected officials that supported him.
Electeds such as Comptroller Brad Lander, U.S. Rep. Nydia Velazquez, and Councilmember Crystal Hudson were in attendance.
Williams has 19.02 % of the votes, said NYSBOE. His running mate and former councilmember, Archila, got 23.35 % of the votes.
“I’m honored to have had the opportunity to share my vision and hear New Yorkers share their stories from Brooklyn to Buffalo,” said Williams in his speech after the polls closed. “The office I hold, I never take for granted. The people who have helped me to get there, I never take for granted, who put their faith and their love and their time and their effort into changing New York for the better. I never take it for granted. I can’t thank you enough for this privilege to be a voice and vessel for change through public service.”
Williams said in his speech that the path to progress and change is always difficult but worth it. He also said that as Democrats the party needs to redefine what they represent. He implored Democrats to be proactive in their causes and hold people of all parties accountable.
“While we didn’t win tonight for New York State governor, New York City you still have a badass public advocate,” said his wife, India Sneed-Williams.
In other news, U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin trumped opponent Andrew Guiliani in the Republican nominee race for governor. Zeldin was trailing behind early right after the polls closed, but eventually surpassed Guiliani with 43.53 % of the Republican vote, said NYSBOE. Guiliani had 22.63 % of the votes at the close of Election Night on Tuesday.
Ariama C. Long is a Report for America corps member and writes about culture and politics in New York City for The Amsterdam News. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep her writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visiting: https://tinyurl.com/fcszwj8w