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Hochul, Blakeman spar in only gubernatorial debate
NEW YORK: The only debate in New York’s gubernatorial race was held Tuesday evening and broadcast by Spectrum News.
Updated Oct 16, 2026, 2:28 PM ET
Kathy Hochul, a Democrat who became New York's first female governor in 2021 and won a full term in 2022, is seeking reelection in 2026 against Republican Bruce Blakeman.
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NY governor debate: Hochul, Blakeman clash on Trump policies and more
The Source: This article was written with remarks made by Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul and Republican Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman during their only televised debate in the 2026 New York governor's race.
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Hochul keeps Trump center stage as Blakeman softens praise in lone governor debate over ICE, crime and affordability
Kathy Hochul and Republican challenger Bruce Blakeman faced off in New York’s only gubernatorial debate ahead of the November election.
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Hochul, Blakeman clash over immigration, economy in New York governor's race debate - CBS New York
Kathy Hochul and Bruce Blakeman sparred in their first and only New York governor’s debate, focusing on affordability, immigration, and energy policy.
No story this week names this candidate.
- Born
- August 27, 1958
- Birthplace
- Buffalo, New York
- Education
- Hamburg High School (1976)
Syracuse University, Maxwell School (Bachelor of Arts in political science, 1980)
Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law (Juris Doctor, 1984)
Biography & Campaign Analysis
Background
Born in Buffalo, New York, on August 27, 1958, Kathleen Mary Courtney was the second-born of John Patrick and Patricia Ann Courtney's six children.
She finished Hamburg High School in 1976, graduated from Syracuse University in 1980 with a Bachelor of Arts in political science, and earned her Juris Doctor (1984) from the Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law.
She then worked for U.S. Representative John LaFalce, U.S. Senator Daniel Moynihan and the New York State Assembly.
Career
Hochul joined the Hamburg Town Board by appointment in January 1994, won the seat in November 1994, was reelected in 1998, 2002 and 2006, and resigned in April 2007.
She became deputy Erie County clerk in 2003, was appointed county clerk in April 2007, won election to the office that November, and was reelected in 2010 with 80% of the vote.
A special election on May 24, 2011, for the seat representing New York's 26th congressional district gave her a win in a four-way race with 47% of the vote, and she became the first Democrat to hold the seat in 40 years; after redistricting, Republican Chris Collins defeated her 51% to 49% in 2012.
Governor Andrew Cuomo chose Hochul as his running mate in 2014, and she began her term as lieutenant governor on January 1, 2015; the ticket won again in 2018. She became New York's 57th governor on August 24, 2021, following Cuomo's resignation amid sexual harassment allegations, and was the first woman to hold the office. In 2022 she won a full term over Republican U.S. Representative Lee Zeldin with 53.1% of the vote.
2026 race
Hochul is seeking a second full term. She received the endorsement of the New York Democratic Party with 85% support at its state convention, and her primary challenger, Antonio Delgado, withdrew on February 10, 2026; the state held its primaries on June 23, 2026.
Her opponent in the general election on November 3, 2026, is Bruce Blakeman, the Nassau County executive, who carries the Republican and Conservative lines and was endorsed by President Donald Trump after U.S. Representative Elise Stefanik left the Republican primary in December 2025.