New Yorkers head to the polls next week for gubernatorial primaries

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New Yorkers head to the polls next week for gubernatorial primaries
The New York State Capitol building, located in Albany. (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

New Yorkers will head to the voting booth Tuesday, June 28, to cast their votes in the Democratic and Republican primaries in the state’s gubernatorial race. 

Democratic incumbent Gov. Kathy Hochul is facing challenges from U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) and New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, while the Republican primary has four candidates on the ballot, including former Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, Andrew Giuliani, Harry Wilson and U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley).

Hochul assumed her current role after becoming lieutenant governor during the Andrew Cuomo administration in 2015. Following Cuomo’s resignation last year, she became the first female governor of the state. 

Kathy Hochul was sworn is as New York’s first female governor in 2021. (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

Hochul was a representative in the state’s 26th Congressional District from 2011 to 2013 before becoming lieutenant governor.

The governor said she has “prioritized keeping our communities safe, bringing down the cost of living for New Yorkers, and investing in schools to get our kids back on track,” according to her website.

In February, the state’s Democratic Committee endorsed Hochul for governor. Her running mate for lieutenant governor is former U.S. Rep. Antonio Delgado, who serves in the position currently.

Suozzi has represented the state’s 3rd Congressional District since 2017 following previous stops as Nassau County executive and Glen Cove mayor. 

The congressman said he wanted to attack crime, corruption and help failing school systems in a virtual town hall with Blank Slate Media. 

U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi held previous political offices as mayor of Glen Cove and Nassau County executive. (Photo courtesy of The Island 360 archives)

“I’m going to fight for the people, I’m not going to fight for the insiders,” Suozzi said.

Suozzi’s running mate is Diana Reyna, a former deputy borough president in Brooklyn and former City Council member for the 34th District. 

Williams has been New York City’s public advocate since 2019 serving in the City Council’s 45th District for 10 years. The first-generation New Yorker from Brooklyn “is committed to creating equal opportunity for every New Yorker,” according to his campaign.

 “We know that true public safety comes when communities have what they need to thrive. Public safety is safe housing, good health care, childcare, reliable transportation, and living-wage jobs—not overpolicing, arrests, incarceration, and surveillance,” his website says. 

Jumaane Williams in 2021. (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

Williams’ running mate is activist Ana Maria Archila.

Hochul has raised significantly more money than both Suozzi and Williams, according to multiple reports. 

On the Republican primary ballot, Rob Astorino is running for governor after his initial attempt in 2014 against Cuomo. He earned 40% of the vote and won the state outside of New York City, according to his website

Astorino released a seven-point upstate jobs plan on June 1 that addresses regions that he says have suffered over the last three decades. 

Rob Astorino in 2014. (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

“New York has taxed, regulated, and harassed thousands of small and mid-sized businesses right out of the state; even the slightest reforms should encourage robust growth here,” Astorino said. “But the bold, time-tested ideas I’m proposing would significantly revive New York’s economy, moving our long downward trajectory into an upward arrow again.”

Andrew Giuliani, son of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, is seeking his first election to public office after working in the Donald Trump administration in the Office of Public Liaison. 

Andrew Giuliani. (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

Giuliani told NY1 he plans to cut red tape for businesses and enact “record-setting” crime reduction. 

“I think a lot of businesses and a lot of people are very unhappy to see New York will now be the highest-taxed state in the country again,” Giuliani said in an interview. “It’s one of the reasons why so many New Yorkers are leaving.”

Harry Wilson is a businessman from Fulton County who was a senior adviser for President Barack Obama’s Task Force on the Auto Industry. He also served on Astorino’s transition team in 2009.

Wilson’s “Turn Around N.Y.” plan aims at cleaning up Albany, lowering taxes and fighting crime. 

Harry Wilson in 2010 (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

Wilson told the Oswego County News Now he is going to under promise and over deliver.

“We as voters are conditioned to people on both sides of the aisle, first attacking the other side without providing solutions,” Wilson said. “What I do is under promise, over deliver and focus on things that really make a difference in people’s lives. That’s why I think my candidacy, because of what I could do as governor, is so different from anyone else running.”

Prior to his current role in Congress, Zeldin was a state senator for the 3rd Senate District on Long Island from 2010 to 2015.  

Zeldin said when he was endorsed by the state’s Republican Party that he favored furthering efforts to support law enforcement officials, eliminate cashless bail and enact a voter ID law. 

U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley) was endorsed by the state’s Republican Party for governor. (Photo by Karen Rubin)

Zeldin, who received more than 85 percent of the party’s vote, said he was honored to be endorsed and ready to start the “rescue mission” for New Yorkers.

“We are going to win this race because we have to win this race,” Zeldin said.“It’s about restoring New York to glory, it’s about backing the blue unapologetically, loving our heroic, selfless, dedicated men and women and it’s about repealing cashless bail,” Zeldin said.

According to 11-day pre-primary campaign financial disclosures, Zeldin finishes the reporting period with $2.1 million in cash on hand. Wilson is slightly behind with $2.04 million, Astorino has $650,000 and Giuliani $344,000. 

Polls will open at 6 a.m. on Primary Day and close at 9 p.m. If you are in line before 9 p.m., you are legally entitled to vote.

Early voting started Saturday and will last until June 26. 

Polling locations can be found at https://voterlookup.elections.ny.gov/

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1 COMMENT

  1. Please remember Mr. Wilson is the ONLY GOP candidate who acknowledges the 2020 as legitimate and binding.

    The remaining three are seditionist monsters who have no business holding public office.

    This was the best the NY GOP could scrape up for the highest state office. Now look at the down ballot for more laughs.

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