Riley, All NY Congressional Dems Endorse Hochul for Governor

Local Dems Weigh Gubernatorial Options

By ERIC SANTOMAURO-STENZEL
SYRACUSE

Ahead of the statewide Democratic convention in Syracuse where she won the state party’s backing yesterday, Governor Kathy Hochul boasted the support of the entirety of New York’s Democratic congressional delegation, including Representative Josh Riley, who is running for a second term.

“The daughter of a steelworker, born and raised in a working-class community outside Buffalo, Kathy Hochul embodies Upstate New York’s grit and determination,” Riley said in a statement. “Those roots have guided her work as Governor: historic investments in childcare and affordable housing, fighting to bring good manufacturing jobs back home after decades of plant closures, and supporting our dairy farmers and apple growers—the heart and soul of Upstate New York. Bruce Blakeman is a downstate political hack who doesn’t know or seem to care about Upstate New York. Kathy Hochul does, and she’s proven it time and again. That’s why I’m supporting her re-election.”

Hochul campaign spokesperson Ryan Radulovacki said in a statement to AllOtsego that “The Governor was honored to receive Congressman Riley’s endorsement and she’s committed to continue working alongside him and the New York delegation to take back the House, fight back against Donald Trump, and elect Democrats up and down the ballot.”

Hochul also announced the support of New York State Attorney General Letitia James, State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

Entering the June 23 primary against her own lieutenant governor and former Otsego County-area Member of Congress Antonio Delgado, Hochul has built a coalition spanning from the state’s highest profile democratic socialists, Mamdani and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, to centrists like 2022 Long Island gubernatorial challenger Representative Tom Suozzi. Delgado’s path to victory has sharply narrowed, including by failing to meet the convention 25 percent threshold to obtain ballot access without petitioning.

The local Democratic Party and organized activists, however, have yet to make a pick.

The Otsego County Democratic Committee, who heard a stump speech from longtime ally Delgado at their annual fundraiser dinner this past fall, has not yet made an endorsement in the race. Chair Caitlin Ogden said the group may make an endorsement but has not picked a candidate. As an individual state committee member Ogden spoke in support of Delgado at the state convention, in part saying the primary process should be the way the party lands on its candidate.

“I highly suspect that Josh Riley’s endorsement was the result [of] attempting to get the favor of the governor so she will reconsider denying him a coordinated campaign in NY-19,” Ogden told AllOtsego in a claim she later walked back. “That said, given his prior criticisms of Albany I am pleased that perhaps he’s reconsidering some of that critique.”

A Hochul campaign aide told AllOtsego the Democratic Party is running a statewide coordinated campaign in New York, including in NY-19. The Riley campaign confirmed those plans.

Coordinated campaigns allow different candidates to share resources and messaging, for example by sending mailers that include multiple candidates. A coordinated campaign occurred in 2024.

Ogden later clarified that “it’s not that I think that there’s a quid pro quo, but that the actions that the governor has taken in the run up to this convention have been such that it is hard for me to not look at a lot of decisions, and wonder.”

Among a few examples of what she called “old school political gamesmanship,” Ogden cited NY State Democrats Chair Jay Jacobs’ efforts to get local party chairs to sign on in support of Hochul’s campaign shortly after Delgado announced his own last summer, which she felt was a veiled funding threat.

Jacobs previously told the “New York Post” that is not true.

In her convention speech, Hochul said she is “so proud to be a governor who understands the power of a state party that is activated every year – not just every four years.”

Likely referring to party insiders’ concerns about the group’s historically low investment in off-year and down-ballot races, Hochul said to party members, “Am I speaking the truth there? You know what I’m talking about. That’s why I invested in headquarters and staff across the state to support the work that you do out there in the trenches, for what you’re doing day in and day out.”

Delgado also answered questions at a meeting of Otsego County’s largest activist group, CooperstownOneonta Indivisible, on January 30. Group leader Virginia Kennedy told AllOtsego a similar invite to Hochul has not yet received a response.

“CooperstownOneonta Indivisible believes in the democratic process. Primaries are part of that process. We have a big group with diverse perspectives,” Kennedy said. “We look forward to Gov. Hochul responding and coming to visit as well.”