Hochul and Blakeman Launch Final Push in New York Gubernatorial Race
Governor Kathy Hochul and Republican challenger Bruce Blakeman conducted statewide campaign tours to mobilize voters following a record-breaking early voting period.
Democratic incumbent Kathy Hochul and Republican challenger Bruce Blakeman intensified their campaign efforts on November 2, 2026, as early voting concluded. Hochul focused her final push on Democratic strongholds in New York City, visiting brunch spots on the Upper West Side, campaigning in Harlem, and meeting with Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Mayor Zohran Mamdani in Astoria. She also scheduled a New York Fights Back rally in Williamsburg to energize her base.
Bruce Blakeman, the Nassau County Executive, conducted a wide-ranging tour that included a rally at the Crab Meadow Golf Course in Northport and stops in Oswego, Rensselaer, Bethpage, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and Binghamton before ending his day in Manhattan. While Siena and Marist polls indicate Hochul maintains a double-digit lead, Blakeman dismissed the data as woke polls that undercount Republicans and predicted a stunning victory on Tuesday night.
The final push follows a surge in early voting, with over 1.7 million ballots cast statewide—a 75 percent increase compared to four years ago. More than 690,000 of those ballots were cast in New York City. Although Democrats led in early voting, both candidates spent the final days targeting swing voters and vote-rich areas to maximize turnout for Election Day.
