“Juggernaut” — Gov. Kathy Hochul Releases Historic State Budget, Reports Record Fundraising, and Dominates in New Poll

A new report from Politico highlights Gov. Kathy Hochul’s success in releasing a packed state budget, reporting record-breaking campaign fundraising, and dominating in a new poll — all in a day’s work.

“New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, with less than six months on the job, turned Tuesday into a tour de force of her political and government prowess,” wrote Politico.

Yesterday, a new Siena poll found Gov. Hochul “easily outpaces” her potential opponents in the governor’s race. Shortly after, her campaign announced they’d raised a “whopping” $21.9 million, shattering records.

“She’s starting to look like a juggernaut,” said political science professor Douglas Muzzio.

Before midday, Gov. Hochul released a $216.3 billion state budget that would make huge investments in schools and provide tax breaks to homeowners.

“This is a moment of great possibility, a once in a generation chance to reconsider what is possible for our state,” Gov. Hochul said. “And this really is the beginning of New York’s next great comeback.”

“Gov. Kathy Hochul’s historic governorship resonates with New Yorkers because she has a bold vision and proven ability to deliver real results,” said DGA Communications Director David Turner. “In less than half a year, Gov. Hochul has made record investments in New York and rallied support from across the state. We look forward to continuing to support her in her groundbreaking campaign for a full term.”

Read more about Gov. Hochul’s momentum below:

Politico: New York’s governor becomes a ‘juggernaut’ in Cuomo’s wake

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, with less than six months on the job, turned Tuesday into a tour de force of her political and government prowess.

In one day, the moderate Democrat reported shattering campaign fundraising records, saw one of her biggest potential primary opponents bow out and released a state budget packed with goodies for residents and special interest groups.

And a statewide poll shows her crushing her foes.

[…]

If she wins, Hochul would be the first woman elected governor in New York history.

[…]

“She’s got a big lead and then she’s winning the money race, and she’s certainly winning the exposure raise,” said Douglas Muzzio, a political science professor at Baruch College in Manhattan. “She starting to look like a juggernaut.”

[…]

Then, on Tuesday, a Siena College poll showed Hochul with a 34 percentage-point lead over former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, who had been contemplating a run.

[…]

Then Hochul’s campaign said she had already raised a whopping $21.9 million to support her bid, shattering any previous record over a six-month period in New York.

By mid-morning, she had released a $216.3 billion state budget proposal that would leverage a massive revenue surplus to increase spending and provide record aid to schools and tax breaks to homeowners this fall, around the same time as the general election.

The state doesn’t expect an annual budget deficit until at least 2027, giving Hochul plenty of money to spread around.

“Kathy Hochul is doing a great job, and that’s reflected in great poll numbers and in her fundraising, as well as endorsements by labor unions and elected officials,” state Democratic Chair Jay Jacobs, who has endorsed her, said Tuesday. “People are coalescing around her, and that’s obvious today.”

[…]

But for now, Hochul has hold of governor’s office and much of the Democratic apparatus in New York, and she vowed to use the next six months of the legislative session to help New Yorkers out of the pandemic, starting with her budget due April 1.

“This is a moment of great possibility, a once in a generation chance to reconsider what is possible for our state,” Hochul said in her budget address.

“And this really is the beginning of New York’s next great comeback.”

###