Gov. Kathy Hochul’s campaign announced Wednesday that the Syracuse Post-Standard editorial board endorsed her for reelection, citing her affordability policies and economic record in Central New York.
The campaign highlighted the endorsement, which contrasted the Democratic governor’s record with Republican Bruce Blakeman’s proposals on taxes and public safety.
Affordability drives the board’s argument
The editorial framed affordability as the election’s leading issue. It credited Hochul with taking action while criticizing Blakeman’s proposals as insufficiently specific.
The board cited policies that Hochul says have returned roughly $10 billion to New Yorkers since she took office five years ago. Those included universal free school lunches, tax credits for children younger than 4, car insurance reforms, middle-class income tax reductions and $4 billion in inflation and energy rebate checks.
It also agreed with her criticism of pressures from Washington, including tariffs, grocery inflation, higher gas and oil prices linked to the Iran war and declining Canadian tourism.
The endorsement contrasted that record with Blakeman’s proposals to eliminate income taxes for individuals earning below $50,000 and married couples earning below $100,000, along with a 10% tax cut for incomes below $250,000.
The board cited the Blakeman campaign’s $35 billion cost estimate and his argument that economic growth and cuts to wasteful spending would cover it. It criticized the lack of specified spending reductions, likening those promises to claims made in Washington.
The board also argued that Blakeman’s emphasis on crime did not reflect falling crime rates since Hochul’s last election.
Endorsement emphasizes Central New York investment
In backing a second full term for Hochul, the editorial credited Hochul with securing state incentives needed for Micron’s project and supporting an expansion of nuclear power. It also praised her statewide school cellphone policy and what it characterized as a cautious approach to data centers.
The board’s support extended to her handling of President Donald Trump, describing a mix of opposition when his policies hurt New York and cooperation where they shared interests.
It pointed to the restoration of $187 million in counterterrorism funding after pressure from Hochul and a bipartisan group of members of Congress.
The editorial also praised her resistance to a wealth tax sought by progressives in the Legislature and said there had been no state tax increases this year.
It noted that she had angered some supporters by delaying implementation of the state’s climate law to push its costs further into the future.
The board urged Hochul, whom it described as the first upstate governor in a century, to continue the region’s economic momentum.
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