The 2022 New York gubernatorial election took place on November 8, 2022 to elect the governor and lieutenant governor of New York.
In August 2021, Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul ascended to the governorship after Gov. Andrew Cuomo resigned in the wake of allegations of sexual harassment. A Democrat, Hochul sought a full term as governor in 2022 and defeated Jumaane Williams and Tom Suozzi in the June 28, 2022 Democratic primary. Antonio Delgado—who had been appointed lieutenant governor by Hochul earlier in 2022 to fill a vacancy—defeated Ana Maria Archila and Diana Reyna in the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor.
Lee Zeldin ran as the Republican nominee, having defeated Rob Astorino, Andrew Giuliani, and Harry Wilson in the Republican primary. Zeldin selected Alison Esposito, an NYPD officer, as his running mate. Esposito won unopposed in the primary for lieutenant governor, becoming the first openly gay major party nominee for statewide office in New York. This election was the first New York gubernatorial election in over 80 years not to feature any third-party candidates, although the Working Families Party endorsed Hochul and the Conservative Party endorsed Zeldin.
On Election Day, Hochul won a full term in office defeating Zeldin by a margin of 53.1%–46.7% and becoming the first woman to be elected governor of New York. This was New York's closest gubernatorial election since 1994.
Democratic primary In August 2021, after New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced his resignation, then-Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul announced that she would run for governor in 2022. Hochul was sworn in as governor of New York on August 24, 2021. Hochul was elected to the position of lieutenant governor in 2014, and was re-elected in 2018; in both elections, she was Cuomo's running mate.
New York Attorney General Letitia James garnered attention for releasing a report on her office's investigation into alleged sexual harassment by Cuomo; the release of this report helped lead to Cuomo's resignation in August 2021. James announced her gubernatorial campaign in October 2021 and was considered a formidable challenger to Hochul.
On November 12, 2021, Newsday reported that Hochul had raised $10 million in campaign donations since taking office as governor. On November 16, 2021, New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, described by CNN as "a progressive favorite from Brooklyn", announced his 2022 gubernatorial bid. Williams had run for lieutenant governor against Hochul in 2018, losing a close race. On November 29, 2021, U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi of Long Island announced that he was running for governor. According to The New York Times, Suozzi was known as a "vocal centrist" and announced an intent to bill himself as a "'common-sense Democrat'". Suozzi was considered to have the potential to siphon votes away from Hochul.
In early December, James withdrew her gubernatorial candidacy and chose to seek re-election as attorney general instead. James' withdrawal from the race was seen as a positive development for Hochul, as James had been considered the second-strongest candidate in the race. The exit of James boosted the campaign of Williams, who became the only major candidate from New York City and the clear choice for the left wing of the Democratic Party.
On February 17, 2022, at the New York State Democratic Convention, Hochul was selected as the preferred Democratic candidate for governor of New York in 2022. At the convention, Hochul received 85.6% of the weighted vote, while Williams received 12.5%. Neither Williams nor Suozzi received sufficient support to obtain automatic ballot access and force a primary election; however, both candidates later gathered sufficient signatures to qualify for the Democratic primary ballot.
On June 28, 2022, Hochul won the Democratic gubernatorial primary with 67.6% of the vote, defeating Williams (19.4%) and Suozzi (13.0%).
Governor
Candidates
Nominee Kathy Hochul, incumbent governor of New York (2021–present) (running with Antonio Delgado)
Eliminated in primary Tom Suozzi, U.S. representative for (2017–2023) and candidate in 2006 (running with Diana Reyna) Jumaane Williams, New York City Public Advocate (2019–present); candidate for lieutenant governor in 2018 (running with Ana María Archila)
Disqualified Paul Nichols, lawyer and legislative staffer (running with David Englert)
Withdrew Andrew Cuomo, former governor of New York (2011–2021) Letitia James, Attorney General of New York (2019–present) (running for re-election)
Declined Charles Barron, New York City Councilmember from the 42nd district (2002–2013, 2021–present); state assembly member from the 60th District (2015–present) Bill de Blasio, mayor of New York City (2014–2021); candidate for president of the United States in 2020 Thomas DiNapoli, New York State Comptroller (2007–present) (running for re-election) Kirsten Gillibrand, U.S. senator from New York (2009–present); candidate for president of the United States in 2020 (endorsed Hochul) Svante Myrick, mayor of Ithaca (2012–2022) Cynthia Nixon, actress, activist and candidate for governor of New York in 2018 Christine Quinn, Speaker of the New York City Council (2006–2013) Jessica Ramos, state senator from the 13th district (2019–present) Kathleen Rice, U.S. representative for NY-04 (2015–present) (endorsed Hochul) Al Sharpton, civil rights activist Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Majority Leader of the New York State Senate (2019–present); state senator from the 35th district (2007–present) (endorsed Hochul) (running for reelection)
Endorsements
Debates +2022 New York gubernatorial Democratic primary debatesDateHostLocationModeratorLinkParticipantsKathy HochulTom SuozziJumaane WilliamsJune 7, 2022CBS New YorkWCBS Newsradio 880New York, New YorkMaurice DuBoisMarcia KramerJune 20, 2022NBC New YorkTelemundo 47New York, New YorkDavid Ushery
Polling
Source of pollaggregationDatesadministeredDatesupdated KathyHochul TomSuozzi JumaaneWilliams OtherMarginReal Clear PoliticsJune 6–20, 2022June 22, 202258.5%18.0%14.5%9.0%Hochul +40.5
Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error StevenBellone PreetBharara AlessandraBiaggi AndrewCuomo Bill ThomasDiNapoli KathrynGarcia KirstenGillibrand KathyHochul LetitiaJames Sean PatrickMaloney AlexandriaOcasio-Cortez TomSuozzi ScottStringer JumaaneWilliams Other UndecidedSiena CollegeMarch 20–24, 2022369 (RV)± 5.5%–––30%––––38%–––10%–7%1%14%Emerson CollegeMarch 9–10, 2022504 (LV)± 4.3%–––33%––––37%–––7%–4%9%9%Zogby AnalyticsJanuary 21–24, 2022413 (LV)± 4.8%–––20%––––41%–––7%–13%5%14%Data for Progress (D)November 16–17, 2021528 (LV)± 4.0%–––15%3%–––36%22%––6%–7%–11%–––27%––––64%–––––––9%Siena CollegeOctober 10–14, 2021419 (RV)± 5.4%–––17%6%–––31%14%––––7%2%23%Marist CollegeMarist CollegeOctober 4–7, 2021389 (RV)± 6.9%–––19%–––36%24%–––––9%–12%co/efficient (R)co/efficient (R)August 15–16, 2021814 (LV)± 3.4%––––––––45%––26%–––30%Slingshot Strategies (D)August 6–7, 2021600 (LV)± 4.0%2%4%1%26%3%3%6%6%4%9%2%8%2%3%2%–19%3%6%2%–5%3%8%10%6%13%3%10%2%4%4%–22%Zogby AnalyticsFebruary 3–5, 2021316 (LV)± 5.5%–––65%–––––22%––––––13%–––67%–––––––24%––––9%
Results
Lieutenant governor On April 12, 2022, incumbent lieutenant governor Brian Benjamin resigned from office after being arrested for campaign finance violations. On May 3, 2022, Hochul announced her intent to appoint Representative Antonio Delgado to the position of lieutenant governor. He was sworn in on May 25. Delgado ran for lieutenant governor in the June 2022 primary, winning by a large margin.
Candidates
Nominee Antonio Delgado, lieutenant governor (2022–present), former U.S. representative from New York's 19th congressional district (2019–2022)
Eliminated in primary Ana Maria Archila, Center for Popular Democracy transition advisor and former co-executive director, co-founder of Make the Road New York Diana Reyna, deputy borough president of Brooklyn (2014–2018), New York City Councilor from the 34th district (2001–2013)
Disqualified David Englert, mayor of Sodus
Withdrawn Brian Benjamin, lieutenant governor of New York (2021–2022), state senator from the 30th district (2017–2021); candidate for New York City Comptroller in 2021
Declined Svante Myrick, mayor of Ithaca (2012–2022)
Endorsements
Results
Republican primary In June 2020, Lewis County sheriff Mike Carpinelli became the first Republican to enter the race. He was the only announced challenger until Long Island congressman Lee Zeldin announced his own campaign in April 2021. By the end of April, Zeldin had announced that the Republican Party chairs of Erie County and Niagara County had endorsed his campaign, giving him the necessary 50% of state committee support to gain the Republican nomination. Trump administration official Andrew Giuliani and 2014 New York gubernatorial nominee Rob Astorino made campaign announcements the following month. Contractor and podcast host Derrick Gibson also entered the race.
In June 2021, Zeldin was named the presumed nominee of the New York's Republican Party by state chairman Nick Langworthy after he earned 85 percent of a straw poll vote of county leaders, and was also called the presumptive nominee of the Conservative Party by Conservative state chairman Gerard Kassar. As of February 2022, Zeldin had received the endorsements of 59 of New York's 62 county Republican committees.
In February 2022, shortly before the Republican convention, businessman Harry Wilson announced his candidacy for governor of New York. Wilson stated that he intended to invest $12 million of his own money in the race.
At the Republican convention in Nassau County, Zeldin received 85 percent support from the party's voting committee members, with Astorino and Wilson each receiving 7 percent of the vote and Giuliani receiving less than one percent.
On June 28, 2022, the primary election was held. Zeldin prevailed, receiving the most votes in 48 of New York's 62 counties and earning 76% of the vote in his native Suffolk County. Zeldin received 43.6% of the vote, defeating Giuliani (22.9%), Astorino (18.7%), and Wilson (14.8%).
Governor
Candidates
Nominee Lee Zeldin, U.S. representative for NY-01 (2015–2023) (running with Alison Esposito)
Eliminated in primary Rob Astorino, Westchester County executive (2010–2017) and nominee for governor in 2014 Andrew Giuliani, former special assistant to the president, Newsmax TV contributor, and son of former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani Harry Wilson, businessman and nominee for comptroller in 2010
Disqualified Derrick Gibson, contractor and podcast host
Withdrawn Mike Carpinelli, Lewis County sheriff (endorsed Giuliani)
Declined John Catsimatidis, businessman, owner of WABC radio and Gristedes Foods, and 2013 candidate for mayor of New York City Joel Giambra, Erie County executive (2000–2007) (seeking New York State Senate seat) John Katko, U.S. representative for NY-24 (2015–2023) (endorsed Zeldin) Marc Molinaro, Dutchess County executive (2012–present), state assembly member from the 103rd District (2007–2011), and gubernatorial nominee in 2018 (endorsed Zeldin) (running for U.S. House) George Pataki, governor of New York (1995–2006) Tom Reed, U.S. representative for NY-23 (2010–2022)
Endorsements
Debates +2022 New York gubernatorial Republican primary debatesDateHostLocationModeratorLinkParticipantsLee ZeldinAndrew GiulianiRob AstorinoHarry WilsonJune 13, 2022CBS New YorkNew York, New YorkMaurice DuBoisMarcia KramerVideoJune 20, 2022NY1New York, New YorkSusan ArbetterErrol LouisVideoJune 21, 2022NewsmaxRochester, New YorkEric BollingVideo
Polling
Source of pollaggregationDatesadministeredDatesupdated Lee Zeldin Andrew Giuliani Rob AstorinoHarry Wilson OtherMarginReal Clear PoliticsJune 6–20, 2022June 22, 202232.5%20.0%15.5%16.5%24.3%Zeldin +12.5