New York Early Voting Opens as Hochul and Mamdani Campaign Together
WHO:
ABC News - Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, is seeking another term as New York governor; she became the state’s first female governor after Andrew Cuomo resigned amid sexual harassment allegations, which he denied.
ABC News - Hochul’s Republican opponent is Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, who has focused his campaign on fighting crime and lowering taxes and has received President Trump’s endorsement.
ABC News - Democratic New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani campaigned with Hochul and released social-media videos supporting her campaign.
ABC News - Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat seeking another term, faces Republican Saritha Komatireddy, a former Drug Enforcement Administration chief of staff.
ABC News - Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler faces Democratic challenger Cait Conley in New York’s 17th Congressional District. President Trump campaigned with Lawler; former U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg campaigned with Conley.
ABC News - Democratic U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi faces Republican Michael LiPetri, a former state assemblyman, in the 3rd Congressional District.
ABC News - Republican Anthony Constantino, a sticker-company CEO endorsed by President Trump, faces Democratic farmer Blake Gendebien in the 21st Congressional District.
ABC News - Elise Stefanik, the Republican incumbent in the 21st District, dropped out of the gubernatorial race and said she would not seek reelection to the House.
WHAT:
ABC News - New York early voting opened, with congressional contests potentially affecting which party controls the U.S. House for the next two years.
NY Post - Hochul and Mamdani made their first joint campaign appearance in the governor’s race, stumping together for 15 minutes.
ABC News - A Quinnipiac University poll of likely New York voters found 55% supported Hochul and 41% supported Blakeman.
ABC News - James’s lawsuit against President Trump, his company and family members alleged inflated net worth and resulted in a $454 million civil fraud judgment; an appeals court overturned the judgment.
WHERE:
NY Post - Hochul and Mamdani campaigned together in Brooklyn.
ABC News - Competitive House races include the 17th District in the lower Hudson Valley, the 3rd District spanning Nassau County and Queens, and the 21st District stretching from the Mohawk Valley to the Canadian border.
WHY:
ABC News - Democrats are seeking to flip Republican-held congressional seats in suburbs north of New York City and in the Adirondack Mountains.
ABC News - Blakeman has sought to link Hochul to Mamdani, referring to a “Hochul-Mamdani agenda.”
HOW:
ABC News - Hochul has collaborated with Mamdani on initiatives including expanded access to childcare.
ABC News - Blakeman campaigned with President Trump at a rally in Syracuse; Trump also attended a rally with Lawler in the 17th District, and endorsed Constantino in the Republican primary.
ABC News - Tariffs and U.S. relations with Canada have been prominent concerns in parts of the 21st District.
(UPDATED October 24, 2026 16:05 UTC)
New York early voting is underway in races that could help determine control of the U.S. House. Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul is seeking another term, with Republican Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman challenging her on crime and taxes. A Quinnipiac poll found Hochul leading Blakeman, 55% to 41%. In Brooklyn, Hochul made her first joint campaign appearance with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and the two have worked together on initiatives such as expanded childcare. Blakeman has tried to tie Hochul to Mamdani, while President Trump has endorsed Blakeman and campaigned with him. Competitive House contests include Republican Mike Lawler against Democrat Cait Conley in the lower Hudson Valley, and Democrat Tom Suozzi against Republican Michael LiPetri. In the 21st District, Republican Anthony Constantino faces Democrat Blake Gendebien after incumbent Elise Stefanik left the gubernatorial race and ruled out reelection.