Overview
- Kathy Hochul was declared re‑elected after the November 3, 2026 general election, with outlets reporting the result shortly after polls closed.
- Early returns showed a lopsided lead for Hochul, with one report giving her 73.7% of the vote to Bruce Blakeman's 26% when 18% of ballots were counted.
- Bruce Blakeman, the Nassau County executive, ran as the Republican nominee and had received public support from President Trump after launching his campaign in December 2025.
- Hochul became governor in August 2021 after Andrew Cuomo's resignation and won a full term in 2022, giving her incumbency and statewide governing experience going into the 2026 race.
- Her second full term begins January 1, 2027, which keeps the administration in place for policies on housing, public safety, reproductive rights, and planned tax cuts that affect New Yorkers' daily lives.