Kathy Hochul

Hochul ran in the four-way special election race of May 24, 2011 to fill the seat in New York's 26th congressional district left vacant by the resignation of Republican Chris Lee. She was the Democratic Party and Working Families Party nominee.[17] Hochul's residence in Hamburg, just outside the 26th district, became an issue during her campaign, though it did not legally disqualify her from seeking the seat.[18] One month after her victory, she moved into the district, fulfilling a campaign promise.[18][19]

The Republican and Conservative Party candidate, state legislator Jane Corwin, was at first strongly favored to win in the Republican-leaning district which had sent a Republican to Congress for the previous four decades.[4][20][21] A late April poll had Corwin leading Hochul 36-31 percent; independent Tea Party candidate Jack Davis trailed at 23 percent.[22] An early May poll however, gave Hochul a narrow 35–31 lead,[23] and shortly thereafter the non-partisan Rothenberg Political Report called the race a "toss-up".[24] Additional polling in the days immediately preceding the election had Hochul leading by four and six point margins.[25][26]

In a Washington Post article, it was noted that in the face of a possible victory by Hochul, there was already a "full blown spin war" about the meaning of the results. The article went on to say that, for Democrats, the close race was a result of "House Republicans' budget plan authored by Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan — and, in particular, his proposal to turn Medicare into a voucher program." For Republicans, it was the result of millionaire Jack Davis, who spent "millions to pull votes away from Republican Jane Corwin." The article also posited that one overlooked possibility was that Hochul was "simply a stronger candidate" than Corwin.[27] The seat was viewed as a difficult one to obtain for a Democrat, and "only a really solid campaigner could make it happen."[27]

Hochul's political strength stemmed from starting her career as an aide to Senator Daniel Moynihan, who was "one of the most admired politicians in New York history." She has been described as sweet and earnest. She was described as a successful campaigner, but as someone who can do that by "being not the least bit slick." Hochul was linked to tangible local accomplishments, like when she "broke with then Gov. Eliot Spitzer (D) on license plates for illegal immigrants — and got a write-up in the New York Times for it."[27]

Hochul's victory was almost universally viewed as astonishing, given that the district is heavily Republican and that Corwin outspent her almost 2-1.

The campaign featured a number of negative television ads, with nonpartisan FactCheck accusing both sides of "taking liberties with the facts." In particular, FactCheck criticized the Democrats' ads for claiming that the Republican candidate would "essentially end Medicare", even though the plan would leave Medicare intact for current beneficiaries.[21] The organization also faulted the Republicans' for ads portraying Hochul as a puppet of former U.S. House Speaker Pelosi, and for claiming that Hochul planned to cut Social Security and Medicare benefits.[21]

Hochul was endorsed by EMILY's List, a political action committee that supports pro-choice Democratic women candidates.[28][29] She was the fifth largest recipient of EMILY's List funds in 2011, receiving more than $27,000 in bundled donations from the organization.[29] The Democrat and Chronicle endorsed Hochul "for her tenacity and independence",[30] while The Buffalo News endorsed her for her positions on preserving Medicare and her record of streamlining government.[31]

Hochul defeated Corwin 47 to 43 percent in the special election held on May 24, with Jack Davis receiving 9 percent, and Green Party candidate Ian Murphy receiving 1 percent of the vote.

On the day of the election, a contributor for Forbes argued that Hochul's impending victory would be "a serious blow to the GOP agenda, and, more specifically, Paul Ryan's budget plan that would end Medicare as we know it."[32]

When Democratic strategists were not considering Hochul a serious candidate, EMILY's List and the Working Families Party backed her. Hochul achieved success widely due to her efforts in battling the Republican budget, which aimed to makes cuts to Medicaid and privatize Social Security.[33]

In the 2012 election, Hochul's district was renumbered as the 27th district. She lost her re-election bid to Collins by a 51% to 49% margin. She was endorsed by the National Rifle Association.[34]

Hochul's official House portrait

In Hochul's first few weeks in office, she co-sponsored bills with Brian Higgins to streamline the passport acquisition process. She also met with the President about the economy and job creation and introduced a motion in the House to restore the Republican cuts to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. She also looked for ways to reduce the federal budget deficit, open to reducing Medicaid spending as long as it wasn't in the form of block grants offered to states, as proposed in the GOP budget blueprint. She also spoke with President Obama about ending tax breaks for oil companies and protecting small businesses.[35]

While campaigning for Congress, Hochul defined herself as an "independent Democrat".[7] In an interview with the Lockport Union-Sun & Journal, she cited as examples of her independence her opposition to Spitzer's drivers' license program for illegal immigrants and her opposition to Governor David Paterson's proposal in 2010 to raise revenue by requiring all vehicle owners to buy new license plates.[7]

Kathy Hochul was one of 17 Democrats who joined with Republicans in supporting a resolution finding Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress relating to the ATF gunwalking scandal, a vote on which the National Rifle Association, which supported the resolution, announced it would be scoring lawmakers.[36] Later in 2012, Hochul "trumpeted" her endorsement from the NRA and noted that she was just one of two New York Democrats to receive the NRA's support.[37]

On September 17, 2011, Robert J. McCarthy noted that Hochul and her election opponent Jack Davis agreed on their opposition to free trade. "We saw what happened with NAFTA; the promises never materialized," she said of the North American Free Trade Agreement. "If I have to stand up to my own party on this, I'm willing to do so."[38]

During her congressional campaign, Hochul favored offering incentives to develop alternative energy.[10]

In June 2011, Hochul opposed legislation that would cut funding for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) by 44 percent, on the ground that the CFTC curbs speculation in oil and the resulting layoffs of CFTC personnel would "make it easier for Big Oil companies and speculators to take advantage of ... consumers".[39]

While running for the U.S. House, Hochul supported raising taxes on those making more than $500,000 per year.[10] She opposed the new free trade agreements that were then under consideration, saying, "We don't need to look any further than Western New York to see that these policies do not work." She believes that free trade agreements such as NAFTA and CAFTA have suppressed U.S. wages and benefits and caused job loss in the U.S.[40]

Hochul called the summer 2011 debt ceiling issue "a distraction" to which the American people should not be subjected.[41]

Hochul acknowledged during her campaign that substantial cuts must be made in the federal budget, and said she would consider cuts in all entitlement programs. However, she expressed opposition to the Republican plan that would re-form Medicare into a voucher system, saying it "would end Medicare as we know it".[10][42] She said money could be saved in the Medicare program by eliminating waste and purchasing prescription drugs in bulk.[10] She also said that the creation of more jobs would alleviate Medicare and Social Security budget shortfalls due to increased collections of payroll taxes.[10]

On November 19, 2011, Brian Tumulty of WQRZ reported that Hochul had voted for a balanced budget amendment, which she called "a bipartisan solution.[43]

Hochul expressed support for the 2010 health care reform legislation passed by the 111th Congress and said during her campaign that she would not vote to repeal it.[10] In response to a constituent's question during a town-hall meeting in February 2012, she was booed for saying that the federal government was not looking to the Constitution under the Obama administration requirement that non-religious employers provide their workers with insurance coverage for birth control.[44][45] A spokesman later stated that she'd misspoken, but did not clarify her answer.[45]

Hochul has said she is pro-choice on abortion.[46] She supports civil marriage for same-sex couples, with no requirements on religious institutions.[47]

• Committee on Armed Services
• Committee on Homeland Security
  • Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence
  • Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications

Hochul with assembly majority leader Joseph Morelle at the 2014 Labor Day parade in Rochester, New York

Robert Duffy announced in 2014 that he would not be a candidate for reelection as Lieutenant Governor.[48] Andrew Cuomo, the incumbent Governor, was running for a second term. After Duffy's announcement, Cuomo named Hochul as his choice for the Lieutenant Governor nomination.[49] On May 22, 2014 the delegates to the state Democratic convention formally endorsed Hochul for Lieutenant Governor.[50]

In September Cuomo and Hochul won their Democratic primary elections.[51] Cuomo and Hochul were also the nominees of the Working Families Party.[52] (In New York, candidates for Governor and Lieutenant Governor are nominated separately, but run as a ticket in the general election.)[53] In November the Cuomo/Hochul ticket won the general election.[54] Hochul was sworn in as Lieutenant Governor on January 1, 2015.[55]

In the Democratic primary, Hochul faced Jumaane Williams, Deputy Leader of the New York City Council.[56] Williams was endorsed by The New York Times,[57] The New York Progressive Action Network,[58] Citizens Action of New York,[59] The People for Bernie Sanders,[60] and Our Revolution.[61] Hochul defeated Williams, 53.3%-46.7%.[62]

Hochul was tasked by Governor Cuomo to chair the 10 regional economic development councils which are the centerpiece of the administration's economic development plan.[63] The goal of the councils is to build upon the unique strengths of each region to develop individualized long-term strategic plans.

Governor Cuomo appointed Lieutenant Governor Hochul to chair the Task Force on Heroin and Opioid Abuse and Addiction. In this capacity, she convened eight outreach sessions across New York State to hear from experts and community members in search of answers to the heroin crisis and works to develop a comprehensive strategy for New York.[64]

Hochul spearheaded Governor Cuomo's Enough is Enough campaign to combat sexual assault on college campuses beginning in 2015 hosting and attending more than 25 events. As the highest ranking female elected official in New York State, she continues to be a champion for women and families across the state.[65][66][67] In March 2016, Governor Cuomo named her to the New York State Women's Suffrage 100th Anniversary Commemoration Commission.[68]

Representing Governor Cuomo across the state, Hochul tours main streets, meets local business owners, visits college campuses and meets regularly with mayors, supervisors and other community leaders. The Lieutenant Governor builds support for the Governor's initiatives including the minimum wage increase, paid family leave, ethics reform and infrastructure investment.

As Lieutenant Governor, Hochul is liaison to New York's federal representatives in Washington, D.C.[69]