NY Gov. Hochul was playing on the grass of the Buffalo Bills’ stadium – as the approval ratings fell to the left
He was hit by a buffalo.
Supporters of Gov. Kathy Hochul were killed in Tuesday’s primaries by assassins from the Democratic Socialists of America – raising questions about how much of a political struggle she is after selling out to Mayor Zohran Mamdani and a “tax for the rich”.
On the first day, Hochul was markedly scrutinized – instead of entering his campaign, he was strung out on the grass of the Buffalo Bills’ new stadium, joking with the team’s billionaire owner Terry Pegula during the DSA sweep.
“He controls the government, the infrastructure of the state party, and he has the proven ability to win the entire country. But Mamdani has shown that his political value is increasing by being considered as an outsider who is willing to be established,” said former member of the Democratic Party David Carlucci told The Post.
The moderate Hochul – who symbolically leads the Democratic Party in New York and controls a large and powerful fundraising network – formed a difficult political alliance with the socialist Mamdani after his meteoric rise in last year’s mayoral election.
But Mamdani did little to support Hochul’s chosen people. Instead he endorsed a list of DSA and congressional and state legislature candidates who are directly opposed to Hochul’s nominees – who fared well in Tuesday’s primaries.
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Not only were Hochul’s top supporters such as Reps. Dan Goldman and Adriano Espaillat were narrowly defeated by Mayor Zohran Mamdani, but even his endorser – Karen Hoak – in her Buffalo Assembly seat was defeated by former DSA candidate Adam Bojak.
Another coalition and endorsement, state Senator Jeremy Zellner (D-Erie) was swayed by WFP-backed congressman Jon Rivera (D-Erie). Zellner was inducted into the seat when it was vacated by Buffalo Mayor Sean Ryan.
“The pendulum is swinging so far that it’s off the clock,” Hudson Valley state Sen. Jim Skoufis (D-Orange) posted on X.
The only Hochul candidate who actually won was state Assemblyman Micah Lasher in the crowded 12th district race in Manhattan.
The Governor ran down to Lasher’s victory party to eat his big W.
Only two of Hochul’s endorsers facing competitive primaries won — Lasher and Assemblyman Jordan Wright (D-Manhattan), who survived a DSA challenger.
As Hochul’s candidates faltered, he was able to hold a party a few hours earlier in the day to party with his precious Buffalo Bills who cut the ribbon on the new stadium in Orchard Park.
But he managed to party a few hours earlier that day at a party with his precious Buffalo Bills that cut the ribbon on the new stadium in Orchard Park.
“Is this heaven?” Hochul’s office sent X a photo of him sprawled on the new Highmark Stadium turf with Terry Pegula, the Bills owner who made billions from fracking and fossil fuels.
When asked about DSA’s success with establishment Dems, Hochul said Wednesday that he will work with “all people” to fight President Trump. He put the big difference between the group as strength.
“I never said we were united as a team,” he said. “No one ever suspected that we are fully united behind one person, one idea.” Okay, we’re talking a lot of words.
“That’s the beauty of the Democratic Party, we don’t see one voice for Donald Trump. We’re all not stuck with his MAGA agenda, which is destroying our economy and hurting people.”
Former state Sen. Diane Savino said she thinks the results show the effectiveness of DSA’s efforts for candidates in targeted races. He said if Hochul is re-elected he can “wait for him” and use his structural influence in Albany to stay alive.
“It will be a different place,” said Savnio. “But at the end of the day, the governor still holds all the cards. He has proven more than once that he will wait for them and he doesn’t care.”
He laughed at Hochul’s claim that he was uniting the Democrats.
“The idea that we are one big team and we all play under one banner is absurd. That has never been true.”
