The 1970 New York gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1970 to elect the governor and lieutenant governor of New York. Republican incumbent Nelson Rockefeller was elected to a fourth term in office over Arthur Goldberg.
Goldberg's running mate, Basil Paterson, was the first African-American nominee for lieutenant governor.
Rockefeller received over 3.15 million votes, the highest total in any New York gubernatorial election until Andrew Cuomo received 3.64 million in 2018. After this election, no Republican was elected governor until George Pataki in 1994.
Democratic primary The Democratic primary was held June 23.
Governor
Candidates
Arthur Goldberg, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, U.S. secretary of labor, and associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court (also running as Liberal) Howard J. Samuels, former administrator of the Small Business Administration (also running as Liberal)
Results
Lieutenant governor
Candidates
Jerome Ambro, Huntington supervisor Basil A. Paterson, state senator from Harlem
Results
Other contested nominations
Conservative
Liberal
General election
Candidates
Paul L. Adams, academic dean of Roberts Wesleyan College and 1966 nominee for governor (Conservative) Running mate: Edward F. Leonard, Iona College political science professor Clifton DeBerry, 1964 nominee for president of the United States and 1965 nominee for mayor of New York City (Socialist Workers) Running mate: Jonathan Rothschild, Manhattan taxi driver Stephen Emery, retired city subway dispatcher and perennial candidate (Socialist Labor) Running mate: Arnold Babel, systems analyst Arthur Goldberg, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, U.S. secretary of labor, and associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court (Democratic, Liberal) Running mate: Basil Paterson, state senator from Harlem Nelson Rockefeller, incumbent governor since 1959 (Republican, Civil Service Independent) Running mate: Malcolm Wilson, incumbent lieutenant governor since 1959 Rasheed Storey, New York Communist Party chairman (Communist) Running mate: Grace Mora-Newman, East Bronx housewife and active anti-war community organizer
The Communist Party nominated a slate for the first time since 1946.
Disqualified
Albert Bushong (Courage) Running mate: Robert P. Shields Jane Gilroy, Merrick housewife and homemaker (Right to Life) Running mate: Marcia Pilsner, Seaford homemaker
Gilroy was disqualified from the ballot after three thousand of her petition signatures were ruled invalid.
Results
See also 1970 New York state election 2006 New York gubernatorial election
Bibliography Paterson, David "Black, Blind, & In Charge: A Story of Visionary Leadership and Overcoming Adversity."
References