Affordability dominates the New York governor’s State of the State address.
Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) recently told reporters that if the Democratic Party emulated New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, the donkeys would become popular again. New York Governor Kathy Hochul may have paid attention to these remarks. The governor, who has a low approval rating but will likely win re-election, delivered her State of the State address on Jan. 13. The message? A little bit of Mamdanism and a little bit of opposing President Donald Trump.
Kathy Hochul Brings Affordability Message
Hochul attempted to bridge the gap between moderates and progressives in the Democratic Party. Nicknamed the centrist of Buffalo, she outlined her agenda for the year ahead, with a focus on affordability. In fact, it contained more than 200 initiatives.
The highlight of her proposal was something inspired by the Democratic Socialist mayor. Hochul wants to invest in statewide universal child care to make New York more affordable for families, which garnered standing applause from Mamdani. But her cost-of-living plans also include clamping down on auto insurance fraud, battling home insurers’ massive profits, and introducing reforms to protect ratepayers from rising utility costs.
Two ideas also target President Trump’s immigration agenda. First, she wants to allow individuals to sue federal officers “when they act outside the scope of their duties.” Second, she wants to restrict civil immigration enforcement from hospitals, schools, and houses of worship unless they have a judicial warrant. “Public safety will always come first, but it must be pursued lawfully and with humanity,” Hochul said.
Crime was also a major theme for the governor. Hochul touted legislation to crack down on homegrown 3D-printed guns, expand mental health teams across the transit system, and bolster police patrols on New York City’s subways.
“If there’s one thing I know, it’s that when New Yorkers move forward with strength and compassion side by side, there is no challenge we cannot meet, no tyrant we cannot beat, and no future we cannot build,” Hochul said in her prepared remarks.
Like that of other governors, Hochul’s speech was meant as a blueprint for her 2026 plans. Whether they can be realized remains to be seen.
Bruce Blakeman, the Trump-endorsed county official running for governor, expressed skepticism. “If speeches fixed problems, New York would be thriving. Instead, families are struggling and businesses are leaving,” he said. Hochul’s second-in-command, Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado, was unimpressed, stating that “New Yorkers can’t afford Governor Hochul’s half-measures.”
Looking to November
Hochul’s State of the State address was more than an annual speech. Her words were meant to lay the groundwork for the gubernatorial race in November and help Democrats win seats in the House of Representatives this fall. The Empire State has 26 representatives in the lower house, and Democrats control 19 of them.
Can Kathy Hochul generate momentum for the blue team in Congress? Unlikely. The challenge is that, on one hand, her approval rating is in the low 40s. On the other, Hochul enjoys sizable polling advantages over both Delgado and Blakeman. Suffice it to say, New York sending more Democrats to Washington might depend more on voters’ disdain for Trump than fondness for the governor.
Meanwhile, her performance in the upcoming race could also set the tone for America’s financial powerhouse, with a young, inexperienced Democratic Socialist running the City That Never Sleeps. While Hochul appears to be adopting similar messaging to Mamdani, she has yet to go all the way with the newly elected mayor. For example, the government will not raise the corporate tax to pay $700 million for Mamdani’s free buses.
Zohran the Magnificent
Polling data show the Democratic Party is in dire straits. While many Americans dislike President Trump and the Republican Party, many more have given thumbs down to the blue side. Could a “be like Mamdani” campaign resurrect the organization, as Warren suggests? Desperate times call for desperate measures. At this point, the Democrats might ask themselves, “What do we have to lose? Free stuff for all!”
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