© 2024 WRVO Public Media
NPR News for Central New York
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Hochul maintains she is running again for lieutenant governor

LtGovHochulNY
/
Flickr (File Photo)

Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul says she plans to stay in the race for re-election alongside Gov. Andrew Cuomo, despite remarks by the governor that Hochul might prefer to run for Congress instead.

Cuomo has said he’d support Hochul if she wanted to run for her previous seat in Congress, which is now held by western New York Republican Congressman Chris Collins.

But Hochul has made it clear that she does not want to run for that seat.

“The governor and I are running together,” said Hochul, who expects that both will win. “When we are sworn in, in January 2019, you’ll look back and say, ‘This was the biggest non-story of the year.’ ”

Cuomo faces a challenge from the left for the Democratic primary from actor Cynthia Nixon, and there’s been speculation that he might prefer a running mate who is more progressive. Hochul is also being challenged in the primary by progressive-leaning New York City councilmember Jumaane Williams.

Karen DeWitt is Capitol Bureau Chief for New York State Public Radio, a network of 10 public radio stations in New York State. She has covered state government and politics for the network since 1990.