As of early morning on November 9th, the Associated Press has called the 2022 New York governor’s race in favor of Democratic incumbent Kathy Hochul over Republican U.S. Representative Lee Zeldin. This will be Hochul’s first full term as governor, after replacing Andrew Cuomo in the wake of his resignation from the office.

Hochul has 52.7% of the vote with 93% of votes reported, as of 5:10a. About 300,000 votes separate Hochul and Zeldin in what was a down-to-the-wire election. The Governor grabbed the the state’s larger cities, including NYC, Albany, and her hometown of Buffalo.

President Joe Biden Attends A Get Out The Vote Rally For Gov. Hochul And NY Democrats
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With divisive midterms across the country, the two major issues that defined the race between Hochul and Zeldin were crime levels and post-COVID economic pressure. New Yorkers are fighting inflation and rising costs on living expenses ranging from gas to groceries and beyond. Both candidates promised their own individual fixes.

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In the weeks leading up to the election, Zeldin ramped up his attacks on New York’s cashless bail reforms. The Representative said he would possibly declare a state of emergency around the state’s crime if elected. The gubernatorial election also came in the middle of a debate around the constitutionality of Governor Hochul’s gun restrictions and concealed carry bans.

Republican Gubernatorial Candidate For New York Lee Zeldin Campaigns On Staten Island
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With results announced, Governor Hochul tweeted a victory message:

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Lee Zeldin has yet to release a statement or officially concede, pending the counting of remaining votes.

Earlier in the night, the Associated Press also called several other big New York races. The AP confirmed that Chuck Schumer (D) will hold on to his seat in the US Senate, defeating challenger Joe Pinion (R). Attorney General Letitia James (D) won a second term in office over Michael Henry (R). Ballot Proposal 1 was also passed, which authorizes more than $4 billion in bonds for infrastructure and conservation.

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