(NewsNation) — The New York governor’s race has been called by NewsNation/Decision Desk HQ in favor of Kathy Hochul.
Incumbent Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul was locked in the race for what would be her first full term as New York state governor after she took office last year following the resignation of embattled former Gov. Andrew Cuomo. She faced Republican U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin from Long Island.
While for months Hochul carried a comfortable lead among the state’s large Democratic electorate, just two weeks before the election, polls revealed a rapidly tightening contest. Zeldin’s ability to close the gap was attributed to his focus on crime as a central issue of his campaign, a shift many other GOP candidates nationwide have recently made.
Republicans spent the campaign season painting Democrats as “soft on crime,” and in New York, there were signs that the messaging on crime resonated with voters.
For a large portion of her campaign, Hochul focused on abortion access and on Zeldin’s support of former President Donald Trump and his vote against certifying the results of the 2020 presidential election. Zeldin has downplayed his support of Trump during the campaign, including Trump’s endorsement of him last month.
New York is one of 36 states electing their top executive officials during the 2022 midterm elections. Before the election, there were 28 Republican governors and 22 Democratic governors.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.