Governor Hochul Announces She Will Run for Re-election in 2026

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Tuesday that she will run for re-election in 2026.

At a news conference in Harlem, the governor said she had already begun planning her campaign.

“I’m very happy with what we’re doing right now, so 2026 might be a long way off, I’m racing,” Hochul said. “I’m preparing for that race, but my focus right now is on this November.”

Originally from Western New York, the woman took over her seat in 2021 after former Gov. Andrew Cuomo resigned, making her New York state’s first female governor.

This will be Hochul’s second run for governor. In 2022, she faced Republican opponent Lee Zeldin.