A Civic Pulse publication
Portrait of Kathy Hochul

Kathy Hochul

Democratic · Incumbent · Governor of New York
Background

Who they are

Kathleen Courtney Hochul, 57th and first female Governor of New York. Took office Aug 24, 2021 on Cuomo's resignation; won a full term in 2022 with 53.1%, the closest NY governor race since 1994.

From Buffalo/Hamburg, Erie County. Rose from town board to county clerk to Congress to lieutenant governor before the governorship.

Prior offices
Lt. Governor of NY (2015-2021); U.S. Representative NY-26 (2011-2013); Erie County Clerk; Hamburg Town Board
Running mate
Adrienne Adams (former NYC Council Speaker)
Record
Runs on an affordability record: inflation refund checks, middle-class tax cut, expanded child tax credit, universal school meals, child care expansion, subway-safety gains, abortion protections and post-Bruen gun laws.
Campaign finance

Follow the money

Kathy Hochul

Democratic · Incumbent
Top line · 11-day pre-general (campaign-announced, Oct 21)
$1.0M
Raised
—
Spent
$12.3M
Cash on hand
9,959Donors—From $1k+—From $10k+—Self-funding
Public matching: opted out
Notable donors
  • Broadway League producers
    Brian Moreland, Alecia Parker, Mike Bosner, Sue Frost, Charles Flateman (Shubert) · Entertainment / theater
    $479K
  • AI-sector donors (Anthropic / ex-OpenAI / effective-altruism)
    ~17 donors incl. Anthropic staff, ex-OpenAI, Coefficient Giving · Technology / AI
    $202K
  • Terry Pegula (to NYS Democratic State Committee)
    Buffalo Bills owner · sports/entertainment
    $139K
  • Jacobs family (Delaware North owners)
    Delaware North (Jeremy Jr., Louis, Joan, Charlotte, Charles et al.) · Gaming / concessions
    $70K
  • Bluhm family
    Rush Street Gaming / Rivers Casino (Leslie Bluhm, Meredith Bluhm, Amy Kenny Bluhm) · Gaming / real estate
    $44K
  • Dara Khosrowshahi
    CEO, Uber Technologies · Technology / rideshare
    $38K
+ 7 more itemized donors on file.
By industry
  • Real estate & construction$668K
  • Entertainment (incl. Broadway)$445K
  • Finance$404K
  • Technology (incl. ~$202K AI sector)$271K
  • Gambling / gaming$181K
  • Billionaires (cross-sector)$227K
As of Oct 21, 2026
Outside & dark money
  • Citizens for Affordable Rates
    Independent expenditure
    $12.0M
    Supports Kathy Hochuldisclosedcityandstateny.com
    Funded by: Uber (sole funder). Pro-Hochul IE funded entirely by Uber; ~$12M spent. Tied to Hochul advancing car-insurance reforms in the budget that save Uber money.
  • Greater Empire State
    Super PAC
    $3.2M
    Supports Kathy Hochuldisclosedcityandstateny.com
    Funded by: DGA-run. Michael Bloomberg $1.5M; Sports Betting Alliance $1.2M; Greater New York Hospital Association $1M; Leadership for New York $1M. First major spend: almost $3.2M on a television ad buy supporting Hochul, per City & State (Oct 22).
  • Leadership for New York
    Super PAC
    $3.0M
    Supports Kathy Hochulpartialfinwire.io
    Funded by: New York Apartment Association ($3M, as reported). Pro-Hochul super PAC running ads tying Blakeman to Trump. Funding figure comes from a New York Post report (Oct 2, 2026) as reproduced by syndication sites; not yet verified against a BOE filing. Amount = reported contribution received, not spending. Oct 29 update: City & State (Oct 22) reports $3M from New York Apartment Association, nearly $1M from Better Housing Now, over $2.5M spent on TV/digital ads opposing Blakeman, and $1M given to Greater Empire State.
  • New York Future
    Super PAC
    $3.0M
    Supports Kathy Hochuldisclosedcityandstateny.com
    Funded by: DraftKings $3M in recent weeks; FanDuel $250,000. Supports Hochul among others; largest reported spend a $150,000 TV buy for Hochul, per City & State (Oct 22). Amount = DraftKings contribution.
  • Fair and Affordable New York
    Super PAC
    $2.6M
    Supports Kathy Hochuldisclosedcityandstateny.com
    Funded by: Uber (just over $3M in contributions); Democratic Governors Association $69,000 (per City & State, Oct 22). Second Uber-funded pro-Hochul vehicle, separate from Citizens for Affordable Rates. $1M on a family-policy TV ad in early Sept 2026. Reporting puts total Uber pro-Hochul spending across vehicles at $13M+ since January. Amount = reported spending to date, not the $3M deposit. Oct 29 update: City & State (Oct 22) reports over $2.6M spent on TV and digital ads for Hochul; amount now = reported spending.
  • New Yorkers for a Stronger Future
    Super PAC
    $1.5M
    Supports Kathy Hochuldisclosedcityandstateny.com
    Funded by: Michael Bloomberg (sole donor, $1.5M). Supports Hochul, per City & State (Oct 22). No spending total reported. Amount = contribution received.
  • Hotel Workers for Stronger Communities
    Super PAC
    $750K
    Supports Kathy Hochuldisclosedcityandstateny.com
    Funded by: Hotel and Gaming Trades Council $650,000; UNITE HERE $100,000. Supports Hochul among others, per City & State (Oct 22). No spending total reported. Amount = sum of the two named contributions.
  • Transport Workers Union VOICE
    Super PAC
    $400K
    Opposes Kathy Hochuldisclosedcityandstateny.com
    Funded by: Transport Workers Union, just under $400,000. Opposes Hochul, per City & State (Oct 22). Amount = TWU contribution, not spending.
  • Left Hook
    Super PAC
    $325K
    Supports Kathy Hochulpartialcityandstateny.com
    Funded by: Make the Road Action (501(c)(4) arm of Make the Road New York): $325,000 per campaign finance records; group says it has raised $500,000 for the effort. Make the Road Action's own donors are not disclosed.. Pro-Hochul / anti-Blakeman ads aimed at Mamdani-aligned voters, directing them to the Working Families line. Total ad spend not disclosed. Reported Oct 16. Oct 29 update: City & State (Oct 22) puts Make the Road Action funding at a little under $350,000 and reports only $500 spent on ads so far.
  • Anti-tax business group (501c4)
    501(c)(4)
    Undisclosed
    Opposes Kathy HochulundisclosedDark moneynysfocus.com
    Funded by: Donors shielded by 501(c)(4) status. NY Focus (Apr 1, 2026) reported a business group fighting state tax hikes that shields its political donors. Donors are undisclosed by design.
Source: fingerlakes1.com
Platform

Top priorities

  • housing

    "Let Them Build" agenda and a five-year plan to create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes (incl. 10,000 supportive); reports 22,000+ created/preserved in a single year.

  • public_safety

    Roughly $3B in public-safety investment; National Guard and police on subways; reports subway crime near generational lows; signed post-Bruen concealed-carry and red-flag laws.

  • taxes_affordability

    Made affordability the centerpiece: inflation refund checks up to $400, a middle-class tax cut, expanded child tax credit, and a tip-income tax exemption proposal.

On the issues

Positions

  • transit_mta

    Champions congestion pricing (after pausing then reviving it at a reduced toll) and funds MTA capital improvements.

  • climate_energy

    Backs the CLCPA clean-energy transition but in 2026 proposed adjustments that weakened near-term targets to limit ratepayer costs.

  • reproductive_rights

    Strong supporter; signed a six-bill provider shield package, telehealth abortion protections, and funded abortion access.

  • education

    Fully funded Foundation Aid, universal free school meals, a statewide school smartphone restriction, and child care/pre-K expansion.

  • immigration

    Shifted toward limiting cooperation with ICE: the 2026 budget barred masked federal agents and limited ICE access to sensitive locations (DOJ has sued).

In their words

Closing argument

Affordability (child care, tax relief, housing "Let Them Build" agenda), public safety, reproductive rights. Won ~85% at the Feb 2026 state convention.
On the trail

Endorsements

  • DC 37
    Largest NYC municipal union
  • Attorney General Letitia James
    Statewide elected
  • Rep. Hakeem Jeffries
    House Democratic Leader
  • Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
    Helped consolidate the party left
  • Democratic Governors Association
    National party committee
  • EMILY's List
    Backs pro-choice Democratic women
  • Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins
    State Senate leader
  • Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie
    State Assembly leader
  • NYSUT (NY State United Teachers)
    Teachers union
  • 32BJ SEIU
    Property-services union
  • New York Working Families Party
    State committee vote (tally not disclosed) endorsing Hochul and LG nominee Adrienne Adams on the WFP ballot line. In February the committee chose a placeholder rather than endorse Hochul or Delgado. Politico reported the ballot line going to Hochul in late August; the formal endorsement was announced Sept. 16 by state director Jasmine Gripper.
    orgsSEP 16amny.com
  • Uniformed Firefighters Association (UFA)
    FDNY rank-and-file union (President Bobby Eustace). Joint statement with UFOA and NYSPFFA on the 9/11 25th anniversary citing the revived September 11th Worker Protection Task Force and Tier 3/Tier 6 pension reforms. Also endorsed Hochul in 2022.
  • New York State Professional Fire Fighters Association (NYSPFFA)
    Statewide professional firefighters union (President Sam Fresina). Joint statement with UFA and UFOA; its political arm spent in support of Hochul in 2022. AFL-CIO affiliate.
  • Uniformed Fire Officers Association (UFOA)
    FDNY officers union (President James Brosi). Joint statement with UFA and NYSPFFA on the 9/11 25th anniversary. Also endorsed Hochul in 2022.
  • New York State Building & Construction Trades Council
    Statewide building-trades umbrella; campaign says 235,000+ members. President Gary LaBarbera. Announced by campaign Sept. 10, reported Sept. 14.
    laborSEP 10fingerlakes1.com
  • Albany County elected officials (nearly 100, incl. Albany Mayor Dorcey Applyrs and County Executive Dan McCoy)
    Bloc rollout at Albany campaign event framing Blakeman as a "mini-Trump"; Rep. Paul Tonko appeared as surrogate.
    electedsJUL 17nystateofpolitics.com
  • Manhattan/UWS Democratic officials (BP Hoylman-Sigal, CMs Brewer & Abreu, AM Rosenthal, Micah Lasher)
    Campaign press release July 13: Manhattan BP Brad Hoylman-Sigal, Councilmembers Gale Brewer and Shaun Abreu, Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal, and former AM Micah Lasher (running for NY-12) endorse Hochul.
    electedsJUL 13westsiderag.com
  • IATSE District 10
    Cited film/TV tax credit expansion ($800M cap) and COBRA premium assistance for entertainment workers.
  • AFM Local 802 (musicians)
    Cited NYC Musical and Theatrical Production Tax Credit and Empire State Film Production Tax Credit.
  • Entertainment unions (Actors' Equity, IATSE District 10, AFM Local 802)
    Endorsed Hochul citing the Broadway tax credit and the $800M film/TV tax-credit cap expansion.
  • Actors' Equity Association
    Cited Broadway tax credit and arts-nonprofit funding.
  • New York State AFL-CIO
    Umbrella labor federation (~2.5M members); came hours after TWU urged the federation not to endorse her.
    laborJUL 1nysaflcio.org
  • Bronx elected officials (Bronx delegation)
    Bloc endorsement incl. Bronx BP Vanessa Gibson and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie.
    electedsJUN 30bxtimes.com
  • CWA District 1
    Communications Workers of America District 1 (~145,000 workers) endorsed Hochul, Adrienne Adams, and Letitia James.
    laborJUN 29cwad1.org
  • Laborers' International Union (LIUNA)
    Construction-trades union endorsement.
    laborMAY 15amny.com
  • New York State Democratic Party
    ~85% support at the Feb 6, 2026 state convention
  • NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani
    Cited collaboration on universal child care
    electedsFEB 5ny1.com
  • Rep. Ritchie Torres
    Had been a potential primary rival
    electedsAUG 20en.wikipedia.org
Listed for the record — not endorsements by ReviewHochul.
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