2026 New York gubernatorial election

2026 New York gubernatorial election

The 2026 New York gubernatorial election is scheduled to take place on November 3, 2026. The primary election will take place on June 23, 2026, with only registered party members being allowed to vote in their respective parties' primaries. In May 2025, the state legislature passed a bill ending separate primaries for the office of lieutenant governor; going forward, each candidate for governor "will form a joint ticket with their lieutenant governor pick" prior to the primary election held by their party.

Incumbent Democratic governor Kathy Hochul took office on August 24, 2021 upon the resignation of her predecessor, Andrew Cuomo. Hochul was elected to a full term in (/wiki/2022NewYorkgubernatorialelection) with 53.1% of the vote in the closest New York gubernatorial election since (/wiki/1994NewYorkgubernatorialelection). In July 2024, she announced her campaign for re-election.

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman is the frontrunner for the Republican nomination. After Representative Elise Stefanik withdrew from the Republican primary in December 2025, Blakeman was endorsed by President Donald Trump. Republicans have not won a statewide election in New York since George Pataki was re-elected governor in (/wiki/2002NewYorkgubernatorialelection).

Democratic primary

2026 New York gubernatorial election

Due to low approval ratings, poor Democratic performances in the 2022 midterm elections in New York, and controversies surrounding her administration, Hochul was considered vulnerable to a primary challenge in 2026.

On June 2, 2025, following months of reports about a strained relationship with the governor's office, Antonio Delgado launched his campaign for the Democratic nomination. On February 4, 2026, he announced nurse, union organizer, and socialist activist India Walton as his running mate.

Despite early perceptions of vulnerability to a left-wing challenge, Hochul was endorsed in February 2026 by Zohran Mamdani and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, both prominent members of the New York City Democratic Socialists of America. Politico noted that the endorsements “all but crowd out her little-known primary challenger, (Antonio) Delgado,” while Democratic strategist Trip Yang called Hochul “the comeback player of the year.” She was soon endorsed by the New York Democratic Party after securing 85% of support from party members at the state convention, and Delgado ended his campaign on February 10, 2026, citing a lack of a viable path forward.

Declared

• Kathy Hochul, governor of New York (2021–present) • Running mate: Adrienne Adams, former Speaker of the New York City Council (2022–2025) from the 28th district (2017–2025) and candidate for mayor of New York City in (/wiki/2025NewYorkCitymayoralelection)

Withdrawn

• Antonio Delgado, lieutenant governor of New York (2022–present) • Running mate: India Walton, community organizer and nominee for mayor of Buffalo in (/wiki/2021Buffalomayoralelection)

Declined

• Letitia James, attorney general of New York (2019–present) (running for re-election; endorsed Hochul) • Tom Suozzi, U.S. representative from New York's 3rd congressional district (2017–2023, 2024–present) and candidate for governor in (/wiki/2006NewYorkgubernatorialelection) and (/wiki/2022NewYorkgubernatorialelection) (running for re-election, endorsed Hochul) • Ritchie Torres, U.S. representative from New York's 15th congressional district (2021–present) (running for re-election; endorsed Hochul)

Polling

Source of poll aggregation	Dates administered	Dates updated	Antonio Delgado	Kathy Hochul	Undecided	Margin
RealClearPolitics	March 26 – February 3, 2026	December 16, 2025	11.0%	57.5%	31.5%	Hochul +46.5%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Antonio Delgado	Kathy Hochul	Other	Undecided
	February 10, 2026	Delgado withdraws from the race
Siena College	January 26–28, 2026	– (RV)	–	11%	64%	2%	23%
John Zogby Strategies	January 6–8, 2026	– (LV)	–	12%	64%	–	24%
Siena College	December 8–12, 2025	–	± 4.1%	13%	56%	2%	29%
Siena College	November 10–12, 2025	–	± 4.0%	16%	56%	3%	25%
GrayHouse (R)	September 20–26, 2025	605 (LV)	–	14%	43%	15%	28%
Siena College	August 4–7, 2025	813 (RV)	± 4.2%	15%	50%	4%	31%

Republican primary

2026 New York gubernatorial election

U.S. representative Elise Stefanik was considered a potential gubernatorial candidate throughout 2025. She formally announced her candidacy on November 7, 2025. A July 2025 Siena poll showed Stefanik leading two other potential Republican gubernatorial candidates, U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman. In May 2025, President Donald Trump endorsed Lawler and Blakeman for re-election to their current posts "in a not-so-subtle attempt to clear the field for upstate Congresswoman Elise Stefanik to get the GOP nomination". On July 23, 2025, Mike Lawler announced that he would run for re-election to Congress.

Bruce Blakeman was re-elected to the post of Nassau County executive by a double-digit margin in November 2025. When asked about Blakeman's potential gubernatorial candidacy, Trump stated that Blakeman and Stefanik were "both great people". On December 9, 2025, Blakeman launched his campaign for the 2026 Republican gubernatorial nomination. According to The New York Times, Trump's decision to remain neutral and not to attempt to clear the field for Stefanik "sent shock waves through Republican circles". On December 19, Stefanik announced she was withdrawing her candidacy. President Trump endorsed Blakeman's candidacy on December 20.

In February 2026, Libertarian nominee Larry Sharpe announced his intention to petition his way onto the Republican primary ballot.

Declared

• Bruce Blakeman, Nassau County Executive (2021–present) • Running mate: Todd Hood, Madison County sheriff (2018–present) • Larry Sharpe, business training company founder and perennial candidate • Running mate: Mike Carpinelli, Lewis County sheriff (2006-present)

Filed paperwork

• Pat Hahn, union leader • David Tulley, cannabis shop owner

Withdrawn

• Carl Hyde Jr., town supervisor of Bethany • Elise Stefanik, U.S. representative from New York's 21st congressional district (2015–present)

Declined

• Mike Lawler, U.S. representative from New York's 17th congressional district (2023–present) (running for re-election, endorsed Stefanik)

Conservative primary

Nominee

• Bruce Blakeman, Nassau County Executive (2021–present)

Working Families convention

Nominee

The New York Working Families Party declined to nominate Hochul or Delgado, instead opting for a "placeholder candidate" to appear on their ballot line. The party have stated that the placeholder candidate will later be replaced by whichever candidate wins the Democratic nomination. A convention attendee told City & State that Delgado won 41% of the weighted party committee vote to Hochul's 3%, while placeholder candidate won 56% of the vote. State party leaders Jasmine Gripper and Ana María Archila disputed the claim, but did not share the exact vote totals.

Independents and other parties

Declared

• Larry Sharpe (Libertarian), business training company founder and perennial candidate

Publicly expressed interest

• Carl Gottstein (Independent), conservative activist • Brock Pierce (Independent), entrepreneur and candidate for president in (/wiki/2020UnitedStatespresidentialelection)

General election

Predictions

<table><thead><tr><th>Source</th><th>Ranking</th><th>As of</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>The Cook Political Report</td><td>Solid D</td><td>December 20, 2025</td></tr><tr><td>Inside Elections</td><td>Likely D</td><td>August 28, 2025</td></tr><tr><td>Sabato's Crystal Ball</td><td>Safe D</td><td>March 19, 2026</td></tr><tr><td>Race to the WH</td><td>Safe D</td><td>January 6, 2026</td></tr></tbody></table>

Polling

Source of poll aggregation	Dates administered	Dates updated	Kathy Hochul	Bruce Blakeman	Other/Undecided	Margin
270toWin	March 30 – March 31, 2026	April 1, 2026	51.0%	37.0%	12.0%	Hochul +14.0%
Race to the WH	through March 26, 2026	March 31, 2026	50.6%	36.0%	13.4%	Hochul +14.6%
RealClearPolitics	January 26, 2026 – March 26, 2026	March 31, 2026	48.5%	33.5%	18.0%	Hochul +15.0%
Average	50.0%	35.5%	14.5%	Hochul +14.5%

<table><thead><tr><th>Poll source</th><th>Date(s) administered</th><th>Sample size</th><th>Margin of error</th><th>Kathy Hochul (D)</th><th>Bruce Blakeman (R)</th><th>Other</th><th>Undecided</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Siena College</td><td>March 23–26, 2026</td><td>804 (RV)</td><td>± 4.5%</td><td>47%</td><td>34%</td><td>3%</td><td>16%</td></tr><tr><td>Echelon Insights/Tusk Strategies</td><td>March 24–26, 2026</td><td>500 (RV)</td><td>± 5.4%</td><td>55%</td><td>40%</td><td>–</td><td>5%</td></tr><tr><td>McLaughlin & Associates (R)</td><td>March 4–8, 2026</td><td>800 (LV)</td><td>± 3.5%</td><td>52%</td><td>43%</td><td>–</td><td>5%</td></tr><tr><td>Siena College</td><td>February 23–26, 2026</td><td>805 (RV)</td><td>± 4.5%</td><td>51%</td><td>31%</td><td>3%</td><td>15%</td></tr><tr><td>Marist University</td><td>February 16–19, 2026</td><td>1,442 (RV)</td><td>± 3.3%</td><td>50%</td><td>33%</td><td>2%</td><td>15%</td></tr><tr><td>MAD Global Strategy</td><td>February 2–4, 2026</td><td>600 (LV)</td><td>± 4.0%</td><td>47%</td><td>34%</td><td>–</td><td>19%</td></tr><tr><td>Siena College</td><td>January 26–28, 2026</td><td>802 (RV)</td><td>± 4.3%</td><td>54%</td><td>28%</td><td>1%</td><td>17%</td></tr><tr><td>John Zogby Strategies</td><td>January 6–8, 2026</td><td>844 (LV)</td><td>± 3.4%</td><td>53%</td><td>39%</td><td>–</td><td>8%</td></tr><tr><td>49%</td><td>34%</td><td>8%</td><td>9%</td></tr><tr><td>Siena College</td><td>December 8–12, 2025</td><td>801 (RV)</td><td>± 4.1%</td><td>50%</td><td>25%</td><td>4%</td><td>21%</td></tr><tr><td>J.L. Partners (R)</td><td>November 9–10, 2025</td><td>500 (LV)</td><td>± 4.4%</td><td>47%</td><td>36%</td><td>–</td><td>17%</td></tr><tr><td>Siena College</td><td>June 23–26, 2025</td><td>800 (RV)</td><td>± 4.4%</td><td>44%</td><td>19%</td><td>–</td><td>37%</td></tr><tr><td>GrayHouse (R)</td><td>April 22–24, 2025</td><td>600 (RV)</td><td>± 4.0%</td><td>44%</td><td>36%</td><td>–</td><td>20%</td></tr></tbody></table>