The 2014 New York gubernatorial election took place on November 4, 2014. Incumbent Democratic governor Andrew Cuomo sought re-election to a second term in office, though incumbent lieutenant governor Robert Duffy did not seek re-election. Cuomo and his running mate, former U.S. representative Kathy Hochul, won contested primaries, while Republican Rob Astorino, the Westchester County Executive, and his running mate (Chemung County Sheriff Chris Moss) were unopposed for their party's nomination. Astorino and Moss were also cross-nominated by the Conservative Party and the Stop Common Core Party.
Democrat Andrew Cuomo, then serving as Attorney General of New York, was elected governor in 2010. Cuomo defeated Republican businessman Carl Paladino by a nearly 2-to-1 margin, 63% to 33%. Cuomo succeeded retiring Democratic governor David Paterson. Entering the 2014 campaign, Cuomo enjoyed high approval ratings and a large campaign war chest that totaled $33 million as of January 2014. The Cook Political Report, Daily Kos Elections, Governing, RealClearPolitics, The Rothenberg Political Report, and Sabato's Crystal Ball all rated the 2014 New York gubernatorial election as "Safe Democratic". On Election Day, Cuomo and Hochul defeated Astorino and Moss by a margin of 14 percentage points.
This is the last gubernatorial election in which the counties of Clinton, Franklin, Essex, and Broome voted Democratic, and the last in which Monroe and Ulster voted Republican.
Democratic primary Progressive minor parties saw an opportunity to make headway in the state due to Cuomo's relatively conservative stances on taxes and spending. A poll commissioned by businessman and progressive political activist Bill Samuels in March 2014 indicated that even an unknown left-wing third-party challenger on the Working Families Party line could garner between 6% and 13% of the vote without threatening Cuomo's chances of winning re-election.Lovett, Kenneth (March 24, 2014). Third-party leftist candidate hurts Cuomo election win — poll. New York Daily News. Retrieved March 24, 2014. A later poll by the Siena Research Institute taken of 772 registered voters from April 12–17, 2014, with a margin of error of ± 3.5%, found Cuomo taking 39% to Republican candidate Rob Astorino's 24% and an unnamed Working Families Party candidate also at 24%.Blain, Glenn (April 22, 2014). Liberal candidate could slice Gov. Cuomo's lead in re-election bid by half: Siena Poll. New York Daily News. Retrieved April 22, 2014. A Quinnipiac poll conducted in May 2014 produced a similar result to Siena's, with Cuomo at 37%, Astorino at 24% and the third-party candidate at 22%.Katz, Celeste (May 21, 2014). Liberal could woo voters, but Gov. Cuomo still positioned to win: Quinnipiac. New York Daily News. Retrieved May 21, 2014. The Working Families Party nonetheless cross-endorsed Cuomo in a bitterly contested convention vote, leaving Howie Hawkins of the Green Party as the sole progressive challenger assured of a place on the ballot.
In May 2014, after widespread speculation, Lieutenant Governor Robert Duffy confirmed that he would not run for a second term, expressing a desire to return to his home city of Rochester. Byron Brown, the Mayor of Buffalo; Kathy Hochul, a former U.S. representative; Steve Bellone, the current Suffolk County Executive; Kevin Law, the former deputy Suffolk County executive; and Republican Joanie Mahoney, the County Executive of Onondaga County; were considered to be potential replacements.Dems to hold their state convention in Melville. Newsday. Retrieved April 6, 2014. Within the Cuomo administration, potential names included Matt Driscoll, the former mayor of Syracuse; RoAnn Destito, a former Assemblywoman; and Cesar A. Perales, the Secretary of State of New York.Spector, Joseph (May 8, 2014). Will Cuomo look inside administration for lieutenant governor?. Gannett. Retrieved May 8, 2014. Hochul was revealed as Cuomo's running mate during the state Democratic convention on May 21, 2014.Lovett, Ken (May 21, 2014). Gov. Cuomo selects former Buffalo-area Rep. Kathy Hochul as running mate. New York Daily News. Retrieved May 21, 2014.
Candidates Declared Andrew Cuomo, incumbent governor Running mate: Kathy Hochul, former U.S. representative Randy Credico, comedian, activist, Libertarian nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2010 and Tax Wall Street nominee for Mayor of New York City in 2013Dicker, Fredric U. (February 10, 2014). Conservative Party boss says Rob Astorino to run for gov. New York Post. Retrieved February 10, 2014. No running mate Zephyr Teachout, associate professor of law at Fordham University Running mate: Tim Wu, professor of law at Columbia University
Failed to qualify Raquel McPherson (removed from ballot) Sam Sloan, chess player, publisher, Libertarian candidate for governor in 2010 and War Veterans nominee for Mayor of New York City in 2013 (removed from ballot) Running mate: Nenad Bach
Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror AndrewCuomo ZephyrTeachout UndecidedPublic Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling September 4–5, 2014 513 ± 4% 58% 26% 16%
Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror KathyHochul TimWu UndecidedPublic Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling September 4–5, 2014 513 ± 4% 45% 26% 29%
Results Primary elections were held on September 9, 2014.
Republican primary No Republican gubernatorial primary was held in 2014.
It was believed that the Republicans would nominate someone who was not up for re-election in 2014 and so did not have to give up their office to run, and who would use the campaign to raise their profile for a more competitive statewide bid in the future. Rob Astorino, the Westchester County Executive and the only Republican to enter the race, was not up for re-election until 2017. Business magnate and television personality Donald Trump flirted with a run, but decided against it, instead running for president as a Republican in 2016 and winning. Other potential candidates who did not run were former U.S. representative Vito Fossella, Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro and businessman and 2010 candidate for New York State Comptroller Harry Wilson.
Assemblywomen Jane Corwin and Nicole Malliotakis both declined overtures to be the party's nominee for lieutenant governor,Vielkind, Jimmy (May 7, 2014). The Republican search for an Astorino running mate. Capital New York. Retrieved May 7, 2014. as did Rensselaer County Executive Kathleen M. Jimino and former United States Attorney for the Western District of New York Michael A. Battle.Spector, Joseph (May 7, 2014). Rensselaer County executive approached to run with Astorino . Gannett. Retrieved May 7, 2014. On May 13, Astorino announced Chemung County Sheriff Chris Moss as his running mate.Gormley, Michael (May 13, 2014). GOP’s Astorino picks upstate sheriff ‘reformer’ for running mate. Newsday. Retrieved May 13, 2014.
On May 15, 2014, the Republican Party nominated Astorino for Governor of New York and Moss for Lieutenant Governor of New York.
Candidates Declared Rob Astorino, Westchester County Executive Running mate: Chris Moss, Sheriff of Chemung County
Declined John Catsimatidis, businessman and candidate for Mayor of New York City in 2013 Chris Collins, U.S. representative and former Erie County Executive Edward F. Cox, lawyer, chairman of the New York Republican State Committee and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2006 Greg Edwards, Chautauqua County Executive and nominee for Lieutenant Governor of New York in 2010 Chris Gibson, U.S. representative Christopher Jacobs, Erie County Clerk and former Secretary of State of New YorkBenjamin, Elizabeth (August 12, 2013). Chris Jacobs: Thanks, but no thanks on DiNapoli challenge . YNN. Retrieved August 12, 2013. Steven McLaughlin, New York State AssemblymanBenjamin, Liz (November 6, 2014). When the Governor has no heir. Capital New York. Retrieved November 6, 2014. Carl Paladino, Buffalo Public Schools Board of Education member and nominee for governor in 2010McCarthy, Robert (July 5, 2013). Could Paladino make another run for governor? . The Buffalo News. Retrieved July 5, 2013. Donald Trump, business magnate and television personality
Major third parties Besides the Democratic and Republican parties, the Conservative, Green, Independence and Working Families parties are qualified New York parties. These parties have automatic ballot access.
Conservative Conservative Party chairman Michael R. Long endorsed Rob Astorino in February 2014. Buffalo Public Schools Board of Education member and 2010 Republican gubernatorial nominee Carl Paladino originally stated he would seek the Conservative Party nomination if the Republicans nominated Astorino; however, by March 2014, Paladino indicated that he would not run for governor in 2014 and would support Astorino if Donald Trump did not run.Astorino candidacy react-o-mat. Times Union. Retrieved March 5, 2014. On May 31, 2014, the Party nominated Astorino and Moss for governor and lieutenant governor, respectively.
Nominee Rob Astorino, Republican nominee
Green In contrast to the other qualified parties, the Green Party of New York traditionally endorses its own candidates. The party held its nominating convention on May 17, 2014.Yusko, Dennis (May 18, 2014). In Troy, Hawkins gets Green Party nod. Times Union. Retrieved May 18, 2014. Nominee Howie Hawkins, labor activist and Green Party nominee for governor in 2010 Running mate: Brian Jones, teacher, activist and actor from New York City
Independence The Independence Party of New York, which traditionally cross-endorses the candidate most likely to get them the most votes, was expected to nominate incumbent governor Andrew Cuomo as it did in 2010. Republican Rob Astorino refused the line, and several members of the Democratic Party called on Cuomo to do the same.Dicker, Fred (March 24, 2014). Second Dem calls on Cuomo to refuse Independence backing. The New York Post. Retrieved March 24, 2014.
Despite the controversy, Cuomo accepted the nomination on May 22, 2014.NYS Independence Party quietly nominates Gov. Cuomo, says accepted. New York Daily News. Retrieved April 23, 2014.
Nominee Andrew Cuomo, incumbent governor
Working Families The Working Families Party traditionally cross-endorses Democrats, but many of its members (most of which are labor unions) have expressed reservations over endorsing incumbent governor Andrew Cuomo as they did in 2010.WFP’s Cantor For Governor? . February 17, 2014.The Working Families Party’s Cuomo dilemma. March 24, 2014.
The WFP convention, held on May 31, chose Cuomo over professor Zephyr Teachout by a 59%–41% margin in a contentious floor vote. Cuomo's supporters negotiated an agreement in which the governor would support the party agenda in exchange for their vote, expressly attempting to keep the party line solely as a second line for the Democrats; this agreement was met with widespread and vocal skepticism from Teachout's supporters, who insisted the WFP hold to its principles and that Cuomo could not be trusted to hold up to his end of the bargain.Nahmias, Laura (May 31, 2014). . Capital New York. Retrieved June 1, 2014.
Candidates Nominee Andrew Cuomo, incumbent governor
Declared Howie Hawkins, presumptive Green Party nomineeSeiler, Casey (April 9, 2014). Gov. candidate Hawkins pitches Green New Deal . Times Union (Albany, NY). Retrieved April 10, 2014. Zephyr Teachout, law professor at Fordham University
Declined Diane Ravitch, former Assistant Secretary of EducationLovett, Kenneth (May 28, 2014). Working Families Party eyeing Diane Ravitch as possible challenger against Gov. Cuomo. New York Daily News. Retrieved May 28, 2014.