Gov. Kathy Hochul declared victory Tuesday night in a speech highlighting her historic governorship as the first woman to serve in that office in New York history and the first woman to earn the Democratic nomination for governor in the state.
“I stand on the shoulders of generations of women, generations of women who constantly had to bang up against that glass ceiling,” Hochul said in her victory speech. “For the women of New York, this one is for you!”
With most of the ballots tallied Tuesday night, Hochul had about two-thirds of the Democratic vote. After her victory speech, she spoke with reporters at her Tribeca victory party about the win.
“What a delightful night, and I’m so proud to have the resounding support of Democrats from apparently what could well be a sweep of 62 counties,” Hochul said. “So, I’m really proud. I’m really excited. I just cannot get over the amount of people who came out and supported us.”
Hochul faced a challenge from Long Island Rep. Tom Suozzi, who ran to Hochul’s right and at times clashed personally with the governor.
“The important news is that I have no regrets about this race whatsoever,” Suozzi said in his own remarks Tuesday night.
Pressed by reporters if she viewed Suozzi as a potential ally, Hochul pointed out he wouldn’t be in office.
.@KathyHochul tells reporters she will work with @JumaaneWilliams going forward as “a partner.” Does not mention @Tom_Suozzi
— Zack Fink (@ZackFinkNews) June 29, 2022
Pressed by @_rebeccaclewis if she will work with Suozzi as a partner, Hochul says bluntly “he won’t be in office.” pic.twitter.com/Sm01iMexc9
But Hochul immediately embraced her other opponent Jumaane Williams, who ran to her left, calling him a “partner” in her coming fight against Republican nominee Lee Zeldin.
“I do want to congratulate Kathy Hochul who is poised to be the first woman elected governor in the state of New York,” Williams said at his primary night party. ”Second of all, I got more than 6%. I told you all I was going to do that.”
Hochul is expected to pivot swiftly to the general election. Sources say she will immediately put the focus on Zeldin’s record, with new ads expected in the coming days.
“We cannot and will not let right-wing extremists set us backwards on all the decades of progress we’ve made,” Hochul said in her victory speech, “whether it’s a Trump cheerleader running for the governor of the state of New York or Trump’s appointed justices on the Supreme Court.”