2022 New York gubernatorial election

The 2022 New York gubernatorial election took place on November 8, 2022, to elect the governor and lieutenant governor of New York. Kathy Hochul ascended to the governorship in August 2021, upon Andrew Cuomo's resignation following allegations of sexual harassment. She sought a full term as governor. She appointed Brian Benjamin to the position of lieutenant governor and planned to run alongside him until he too resigned in April 2022. Congressman Antonio Delgado was appointed to replace Benjamin as lieutenant governor. Hochul defeated Jumaane Williams and Tom Suozzi in the Democratic primary for governor, while Delgado defeated Ana Maria Archila and Diana Reyna in the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor.

Lee Zeldin ran as the Republican nominee, having defeated Rob Astorino, Andrew Giuliani, and Harry Wilson in the Republican primary. Zeldin selected Alison Esposito, an NYPD officer, as his running mate, and she won unopposed in the primary. Esposito was the first openly gay major party nominee for statewide office in New York.

Hochul won a full term in office, defeating Zeldin in the closest New York gubernatorial election since 1994 and the closest Democratic victory since 1982. Hochul's election marked the first time that a woman was elected to the state's governorship. Hochul's margin of victory of 6.4 percentage points was significantly worse than Cuomo's margin of 23.4 percentage points that he achieved in 2018. While Hochul was able to flip the Schenectady and Columbia counties in Upstate New York, Zeldin made gains in the New York metropolitan area, flipping Rockland, Richmond (Staten Island), Nassau, and Suffolk counties. Hochul won the city of New York with 69.8% to 30.2%, the latter being the highest vote percentage for a Republican since 2002. Zeldin carried the state outside of the Five Boroughs 54.1% to 45.9% and carried the 52 counties of Upstate (the counties outside of the New York metropolitan area–the Five Boroughs, Long Island, and Putnam, Rockland, and Westchester counties) 54.6% to 45.4%.

This was the first New York gubernatorial election in over 80 years not featuring any third-party candidates after the New York State Board of Elections rejected the petitions of all the minor parties that put forward candidates. Hochul became the first elected New York governor from outside New York City and its immediate suburbs since 1932 when Franklin D. Roosevelt left office. Hochul also became the first elected governor from north of Hyde Park since Nathan L. Miller in 1922, in addition to being the first from Western New York since Horace White in 1910 and the first from Buffalo since Grover Cleveland in 1885.

Zeldin received the highest percentage of the vote for a Republican gubernatorial nominee since 2002 and the highest raw vote total for a Republican gubernatorial nominee since 1970.

Democratic primary
In August 2021, after New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced his resignation, then-Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul announced that she would run for governor in 2022. Hochul was sworn in as governor of New York on August 24, 2021. Hochul was elected to the position of lieutenant governor in 2014, and was re-elected in 2018; in both elections, she was Cuomo's running mate.

New York Attorney General Letitia James garnered attention for releasing a report on her office's investigation into alleged sexual harassment by Cuomo; the release of this report helped lead to Cuomo's resignation in August 2021. James announced her gubernatorial campaign in October 2021 and was considered a formidable challenger to Hochul.

On November 12, 2021, Newsday reported that Hochul had raised $10 million in campaign donations since taking office as governor. On November 16, 2021, New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, described by CNN as "a progressive favorite from Brooklyn", announced his 2022 gubernatorial bid. Williams ran for lieutenant governor against Hochul in 2018, losing a close race. On November 29, 2021, U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi of Long Island announced that he was running for governor. According to The New York Times, Suozzi was known as a "vocal centrist" and announced an intent to bill himself as a "'common-sense Democrat'". Suozzi was considered to have the potential to siphon votes away from Hochul.

In early December, James withdrew her candidacy and chose to seek re-election as attorney general instead. James' withdrawal from the race was seen as a positive development for Hochul, as James had been considered the second-strongest candidate in the race. The exit of James boosted the campaign of Williams, who became the only major candidate from New York City and the clear choice for the left wing of the Democratic Party.

On February 17, 2022, at the New York State Democratic Convention, Hochul was selected as the preferred Democratic candidate for governor of New York in 2022. At the convention, Hochul received 85.6% of the weighted vote, while Williams received 12.5%. Neither Williams nor Suozzi received sufficient support to obtain automatic ballot access and force a primary election; however, both candidates were "expected to work the alternate method of gathering the 15,000 signatures to get on the ballot for the June primary".

Although the candidates for governor and lieutenant governor are nominated separately, those running for governor may choose to endorse a candidate for lieutenant governor as their unofficial running mate. All three candidates did so (Hochul had initially chosen Brian Benjamin, but switched to Antonio Delgado after Benjamin's arrest).

Hochul won the primary with 67.64% of the vote, a margin of 48% over Jumaane Williams, who came in second.

Nominee

 * Kathy Hochul, incumbent governor of New York (2021–present) (running with Antonio Delgado)

Lost in primary

 * Tom Suozzi, U.S. representative for NY's 3rd congressional district (2017–2023) and candidate in 2006 (running with Diana Reyna)
 * Jumaane Williams, New York City Public Advocate (2019–present); candidate for lieutenant governor in 2018 (running with Ana María Archila)

Disqualified

 * Paul Nichols, lawyer and legislative staffer (running with David Englert)

Withdrew

 * Andrew Cuomo, former governor of New York (2011–2021)
 * Letitia James, Attorney General of New York (2019–present) (running for re-election)

Declined

 * Charles Barron, New York City Councilmember from the 42nd district (2002–2013, 2021–present); state assembly member from the 60th District (2015–present)
 * Bill de Blasio, mayor of New York City (2014–2021); candidate for president of the United States in 2020
 * Thomas DiNapoli, New York State Comptroller (2007–present) (running for re-election)
 * Kirsten Gillibrand, U.S. senator from New York (2009–present); candidate for president of the United States in 2020 (endorsed Hochul)
 * Svante Myrick, mayor of Ithaca (2012–2022)
 * Cynthia Nixon, actress, activist and candidate for governor of New York in 2018
 * Christine Quinn, Speaker of the New York City Council (2006–2013)
 * Jessica Ramos, state senator from the 13th district (2019–present)
 * Kathleen Rice, U.S. representative for NY-04 (2015–present) (endorsed Hochul)
 * Al Sharpton, civil rights activist
 * Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Majority Leader of the New York State Senate (2019–present); state senator from the 35th district (2007–present) (endorsed Hochul) (running for reelection)

Polling

 * Graphical summary

Results
[[File:2022 NYGOV Dem Primary Map.svg|thumb|Results by county {{legend|#584CDE|Hochul}}

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Lieutenant governor
On April 12, 2022, incumbent lieutenant governor Brian Benjamin resigned from office after being arrested for campaign finance violations. Despite this, he did not officially withdraw from the race, so under the laws of the time, he could only be removed if he moved out of New York, ran for a different office, or died. On May 3, 2022, Hochul announced her intent to appoint Representative Antonio Delgado to the position of lieutenant governor after a bill passed the New York General Assembly allowing Benjamin to be removed from the ticket. Delgado won the primary by a large margin.

Nominee

 * Antonio Delgado, Lieutenant Governor (2022–present), former U.S. representative from New York's 19th congressional district (2019–2022)

Lost in primary

 * Ana Maria Archila, Center for Popular Democracy transition advisor and former co-executive director, co-founder of Make the Road New York
 * Diana Reyna, Deputy Borough President of Brooklyn (2014–2018), New York City Councilor from the 34th district (2001–2013)

Disqualified

 * David Englert, Mayor of Sodus

Withdrawn

 * Brian Benjamin, Lieutenant Governor of New York (2021–2022), state senator from the 30th district (2017–2021); candidate for New York City Comptroller in 2021

Declined

 * Svante Myrick, mayor of Ithaca (2012–2022)

Results
[[File:2022 NYLTGOV Dem Primary Map.svg|thumb|Results by county {{legend|#584CDE|Delgado}}

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Republican primary
In June 2020, Lewis County sheriff Mike Carpinelli became the first Republican to enter the race. He was the only announced challenger until Long Island congressman Lee Zeldin announced his own campaign in April 2021; he announced by the end of the month that the Erie and Niagara counties' Republican Party chairs had endorsed his campaign, giving him the necessary 50% of state committee support to gain the Republican nomination. Trump administration official Andrew Giuliani and 2014 New York gubernatorial nominee Rob Astorino made campaign announcements the following month. Contractor and podcast host Derrick Gibson was also in the race.

In June 2021, Zeldin was named the 'presumed nominee' of the New York's Republican Party by state chairman Nick Langworthy after he earned 85 percent of a straw poll vote of county leaders, and was also called the 'presumptive nominee' of New York's Conservative Party by Conservative state chairman Gerard Kassar. As of February 2022, Zeldin had the endorsement of 59 of New York's 62 county Republican committees.

In February 2022, shortly before the Republican convention, businessman Harry Wilson announced his candidacy for governor of New York. Wilson stated that he intended to invest $12 million of his own money in the race.

At the Republican convention in Nassau County, Zeldin received 85 percent support from the party's voting committee members, with Astorino and Wilson receiving 7 percent of the vote each, and Giuliani receiving less than one percent of the vote.

On June 28, 2022, the primary election was held. Astorino's strongest performance was in his native Westchester County, Giuliani performed well across New York City (although Manhattan was won by Zeldin), and Wilson performed best in his native Fulton County. It was Zeldin who won the Republican nomination, receiving the most votes in 48 of New York's 62 counties, including earning 76% of the vote in his native Suffolk County.

Nominee

 * Lee Zeldin, U.S. representative for NY-01 (2015–2023), state senator from the 3rd district (2011–2014) (running with Alison Esposito)

Lost in primary

 * Rob Astorino, Westchester County executive (2010–2017) and gubernatorial nominee in 2014
 * Andrew Giuliani, former special assistant to the president, Newsmax TV contributor, and son of former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani
 * Harry Wilson, businessman and Republican nominee for comptroller in 2010

Disqualified

 * Derrick Gibson, contractor and podcast host

Withdrawn

 * Mike Carpinelli, Lewis County sheriff (endorsed Giuliani)

Declined

 * John Catsimatidis, businessman, owner of WABC radio and Gristedes Foods, and 2013 candidate for mayor of New York City
 * Joel Giambra, Erie County executive (2000–2007) (seeking New York State Senate seat)
 * John Katko, U.S. representative for NY-24 (2015–2023) (endorsed Zeldin)
 * Marc Molinaro, Dutchess County executive (2012–present), state assembly member from the 103rd District (2007–2011), and gubernatorial nominee in 2018 (endorsed Zeldin) (running for U.S. House)
 * George Pataki, Governor of New York (1995–2006)
 * Tom Reed, U.S. representative for NY-23 (2010–2022)

Polling

 * Graphical summary

Results
[[File:2022 NYGOV R Primary.svg|thumb|Results by county {{legend|#C21B18|Zeldin}}

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Nominee

 * Alison Esposito, former NYPD Deputy Inspector and commanding officer of Brooklyn's 70th Precinct

Conservative primary
At the 2022 Conservative Party convention, the party endorsed Congressman Lee Zeldin for governor and NYPD deputy inspector Alison Esposito for Lieutenant Governor.

Official designee

 * Lee Zeldin, U.S. representative for NY-01 (2015–present), state senator from the 3rd district (2011–2014)

Official designee

 * Alison Esposito, former New York City Police Department Deputy Inspector

Working Families primary
On February 8, 2022, the Working Families Party endorsed New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams for the governorship. On February 28, 2022, the party announced that their preferred candidate for lieutenant governor was activist Ana María Archila.

Following Hochul and Delgado's respective wins in the Democratic gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial primary, the party filed to put the two Democratic nominees on the Working Families ballot line.

Official designee

 * Kathy Hochul, Governor of New York (2021–present), former lieutenant governor of New York (2015–2021), former U.S. representative from the 26th district (2011–2013), former Erie County Clerk (2007–2011), former member of the Hamburg Town Board (1994–2007)

Withdrawn

 * Jumaane Williams, New York City Public Advocate (2019–present); candidate for lieutenant governor of New York in 2018

Official designee

 * Antonio Delgado, Lieutenant Governor (2022–present), former U.S. representative from New York's 19th congressional district (2019–2022)

Withdrawn

 * Ana Maria Archila, executive director of Center for Popular Democracy and co-founder of Make the Road New York

Other parties
In an unprecedented decision, the New York State Board of Elections rejected all petitions for non-qualified party ballot access in July 2022. Among the parties who submitted rejected petitions:

Libertarian Party
On February 16, 2022, Larry Sharpe, the Libertarian Party's candidate for governor of New York in 2018, officially announced his campaign to run for governor of New York on Kennedy. He received his party's nomination at the convention in Albany on February 19, 2022. In July 2022, the New York State Board of Elections disqualified Sharpe for not meeting the qualifications for ballot access.

Disqualified

 * Larry Sharpe, activist, businessman and Libertarian nominee for governor in 2018; ran as a write-in candidate

Disqualified

 * Andrew Hollister, Libertarian nominee for lieutenant governor in 2018

Green Party
On April 25, 2022, Howie Hawkins, who had run for numerous elected offices including Governor of New York, launched his campaign. In July 2022, the New York State Board of Elections disqualified Hawkins for not meeting the qualifications for ballot access.

Disqualified

 * Howie Hawkins, party co-founder and Green/Socialist nominee for president of the United States in 2020; ran as a write-in candidate

Disqualified

 * Jia Lee, special education teacher

Additional parties

 * Freedom Party – a petition was filed with the New York State Board of Elections with Skiboky Stora, a 2021 candidate for Mayor of New York City, running for governor. On June 27, 2022, Stora's petition was ruled invalid at the New York State Board of Elections Commissioners' meeting. In July 2022, the Board of Elections rejected the party's petitions for ballot access.
 * Independence Party of New York – a petition was filed with the New York State Board of Elections, with the Republican slate seeking to restore the Independence Party line. The party had lost ballot status in 2020. On July 14, 2022, the Board of Elections denied the petitions submitted by the Zeldin campaign, due to contested signatures.
 * New Visions Party – a petition was filed with the New York State Board of Elections, with Carol Seidelman running for governor and Benjamin Azah running for lieutenant governor. In July 2022, the Board of Elections rejected the party's petitions for ballot access.
 * Parent Party – a petition was filed with the New York State Board of Elections, with the Republican slate seeking to create the Parent Party line. The Parent Party endorsed Lee Zeldin and the Republican slate in May 2022. In July 2022, the Board of Elections rejected the party's petitions for ballot access.
 * Unite Party – a petition was filed with the New York State Board of Elections, with Harry Wilson running for governor and John Bullis running for lieutenant governor. In July 2022, the Board of Elections rejected the party's petitions for ballot access.

Polling

 * Aggregate polls


 * Kathy Hochul vs. Rob Astorino


 * Kathy Hochul vs. Andrew Giuliani
 * Kathy Hochul vs. Harry Wilson
 * Tom Suozzi vs. Harry Wilson
 * Tom Suozzi vs. Lee Zeldin
 * Jumaane Williams vs. Rob Astorino
 * Jumaane Williams vs. Andrew Giuliani
 * Jumaane Williams vs. Harry Wilson
 * Jumaane Williams vs. Lee Zeldin
 * Andrew Cuomo vs. Rob Astorino
 * Andrew Cuomo vs. Elise Stefanik
 * Andrew Cuomo vs. Lee Zeldin
 * Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez vs. Elise Stefanik
 * Andrew Cuomo vs. generic Republican


 * Letitia James vs. generic Republican


 * Generic Democrat vs. generic Republican


 * Generic Democrat vs. generic Republican with Andrew Cuomo as an independent


 * Kathy Hochul vs. generic opponent


 * Antonio Delgado vs. Alison Esposito

By county

 * Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic
 * Columbia (largest municipality: Hudson)
 * Schenectady (largest municipality: Schenectady)


 * Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican
 * Nassau (largest municipality: Town of Hempstead)
 * Richmond (coterminous with New York City's borough of Staten Island)
 * Rockland (largest municipality: New City)
 * Suffolk (largest municipality: Brookhaven)

By New York City council district
Hochul won 42 of 51 city council districts, while Zeldin won 9 of 51 city council districts, including three held by Democrats.

By congressional district
Hochul won 14 of 26 congressional districts with the remaining 12 going to Zeldin, including one that elected a Democrat.

Analysis
New York has been a solidly Democratic state, and has not elected a Republican to statewide office since George Pataki's win in 2002. Despite this, polls showed the race narrowing, with the main focus of the election being crime. Zeldin accused Hochul of being weak on crime and education issues, promising to declare a statewide crime emergency and to repeal cashless bail, while Hochul attacked him for his ties to former president Donald Trump and the anti-abortion movement.

By October, analysts viewed the race as tightening, although Hochul was still favored. The Associated Press stated that Zeldin's focus on crime was persuasive, leading to a closer race. Hochul's campaign ramped up in the final weeks in an effort to prevent an upset loss. She pivoted her messaging to focus more on crime. She also reached out to the Working Families Party and campaigned with Democrats such as Hillary Clinton.

Ultimately, Hochul defeated Zeldin by a margin of 6.4%, making her the first woman to be elected governor of New York. Despite his loss, Zeldin's performance was the best a Republican had done since George Pataki's victory in 2002, the closest gubernatorial race since 1994, and the most votes a Republican had received for the position in 52 years, since Nelson Rockefeller in 1970. Additionally, Zeldin's coattails significantly narrowed other statewide races, with Democratic senator Chuck Schumer, who last won by over 43 points in 2016, only winning by just over 14 points in 2022. Republicans also flipped 4 congressional seats in the state, contributing to them winning the House of Representatives. Due to his overperformance, Zeldin was considered to be a challenger to Ronna McDaniel as chair of the Republican National Committee; however, he later declined though he stated that he would remain in politics.

Fox News Voter Analysis showed in their exit polls that Zeldin won White voters (54%-46%) while Hochul won African Americans (82%-17%), Latinos (64%-35%) including Puerto Rican Americans (66%-33%) and other minorities (58%-41%).