2 Democrats and 4 Republicans running in New York’s primary to unseat Gov. Hochul. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul hopes to become the state’s first female governor, but she’ll first have to fend off two main challenges on Tuesday.
2 Democrats and 4 Republicans running in New York’s primary to unseat Gov. Hochul
Andrew Cuomo, the governor of New York, stepped down in August after he was accused of sexual harassment over and over again and got into trouble for how he handled the COVID-19 outbreak. Hochul, a Democrat from Buffalo, ascended to office in August following Cuomo‘s resignation. No woman has ever been elected to be the state’s chief executive officer, even if she was already in that position. 
Hochul is now competing for re-election as an incumbent for a full four-year term, despite having only been in office for ten months. Both Tom Suozzi, campaigning to her right, and Public Advocate Jumaane Wiliams, running to her left, will be vying for the Democratic Party’s nomination to be governor on Tuesday. At a labor-union gathering on June 15, Hochul predicted that Democrats would triumph in the fight for voters’ hearts and minds. 
Hochul is in the lead in the three-way primary race because she has worked hard to raise money for her campaign. She has raised more than $30 million, which is more than any of her competitors.
Hochul’s past and current remarks on gun violence and abortion laws
She signed a lot of gun control and abortion access laws into law this month, and her campaign has filled the state’s media with ads praising what she has done so far as governor. In response to the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the right to an abortion, Hochul tweeted on Saturday from her official page to let those in need know that New York would be a haven for anyone seeking abortion treatment in the city. 
However, there has been some controversy throughout Hochul’s time in office. Despite concerns about her previous campaign fundraising techniques, she appointed Manhattan Democrat and then-state Sen. Brian Benjamin to succeed her as lieutenant governor. Six months after his detention, Benjamin stepped down and was convicted on national corruption accusations. 
For Hochul’s detractors, a $1.4 billion football stadium for the Buffalo Bills that included $850 million in direct state funding was a mistake. When she held a right-wing district in Congress, she received an “A” grade from the Gun Lobby for her gun policy opinions.
What do her competitors have to say about her views
In a discussion on June 16, Long Island Congressman Suozzi claimed that she’s just a congressperson, voted following NRA policy, was backed by the NRA, and received funding from the NRA. It’s also said by Suozzi that the governor alters her views depending on the post she’s seeking. 
After an 18-year-old shot and murdered ten people at a Buffalo, New York, supermarket last month, Hochul claimed she had changed her mind on gun control. She spearheaded the charge to raise the state’s mid-rifle purchase limit from 18 to 21.
She’s urged the public to evaluate her primarily on what she’s accomplished since she was elected because a lot of people have changed. She also stresses the need for social progress. 
New York City’s second-in-command, Marty Williams, is the candidate of choice for liberals, notably the Working Families Party, which has a history of supporting right-wing insurgents. He’s running against Hochul for the second time; in the 2018 lieutenant governor primary, he came within 7 percent of beating her. He has slammed the governor for not doing anything to combat gang violence in Harlem, the Bronx, and other neighborhoods prone to mass shootings.
For those who are unfamiliar with the issue of gun violence, Williams said during a recent discussion that the problem cannot be remedied just by enacting state laws and that it is more difficult to deal with mass shootings.
How are the Republicans performing
Earlier this year, Republican Party officials from around the state decided to select Zeldin of Long Island as their chosen candidate, putting him on the primary ballot without the need for petitioning.
Trump, on the other hand, has not made an official endorsement of a Republican contender. Astorino and Zeldin are two of Trump’s friends. Both have been vocal Trump supporters on cable TV. Democrats outnumber Republicans in New York by more than two to one, with independents also exceeding the Republican Party. George Pataki’s third term as governor in 2002 was the last time a Republican was elected to statewide office.
A restricted primary state means that only registered members of a political party are allowed to vote in its primary.
