2026 New York gubernatorial election
The 2026 New York gubernatorial election is scheduled to take place on November 3, 2026. The primary election will take place on June 23, 2026, with only registered party members being allowed to vote in their respective parties' primaries.
Incumbent Democratic governor Kathy Hochul took office on August 24, 2021, upon the resignation of her predecessor, Andrew Cuomo. Hochul was elected to a full term in [2022 2022 New York state elections|New York gubernatorial election|2022] with 53.1% of the vote in the closest New York gubernatorial election since 1994. In July 2024, she announced her campaign for re-election. Hochul faces a Democratic primary challenge from incumbent Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado.
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman is the frontrunner for the Republican nomination. After Republican U.S. Representative Elise Stefanik withdrew her gubernatorial bid in December 2025, Blakeman was endorsed by President Donald Trump. Republicans have not won a statewide election in New York since George Pataki was re-elected governor in 2002.
Democratic primary
Background
Due to low approval ratings, poor Democratic performances in the 2022 midterm elections in New York, and controversies surrounding her administration, Hochul has been considered vulnerable to a primary challenge in 2026. Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado launched his campaign for the Democratic nomination on June 2, 2025, after months of reports about a fraying relationship between Delgado and the governor's office.Governor
Candidates
Declared
- Antonio Delgado, lieutenant governor of New York
- Kathy Hochul, governor of New York
Declined
- Letitia James, attorney general of New York '
- Tom Suozzi, U.S. representative from and candidate for governor in 2006 and 2022 '
- Ritchie Torres, U.S. representative from ''''
Polling
Aggregate polls| Source of poll aggregation | Dates administered | Dates updated | Antonio Delgado | Kathy Hochul | Undecided | Margin |
| RealClearPolitics | March 26 – December 12, 2025 | December 16, 2025 | 12.0% | 53.5% | 34.5% | Hochul +41.5% |
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Antonio Delgado | Kathy Hochul | Other | Undecided |
| John Zogby Strategies | January 6–8, 2026 | – | – | 12% | 64% | – | 24% |
| Siena College | December 8–12, 2025 | – | ± 4.1% | 13% | 56% | 2% | 29% |
| Siena College | November 10–12, 2025 | – | ± 4.0% | 16% | 56% | 3% | 25% |
| GrayHouse | September 20–26, 2025 | 605 | – | 14% | 43% | 15% | 28% |
| Siena College | August 4–7, 2025 | 813 | ± 4.2% | 15% | 50% | 4% | 31% |
;Kathy Hochul vs. Antonio Delgado vs. Ritchie Torres
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Kathy Hochul | Antonio Delgado | Ritchie Torres | Other | Undecided |
| Siena College | June 23–26, 2025 | 800 | ± 4.4% | 49% | 12% | 10% | 4% | 26% |
| Siena College | May 12–15, 2025 | 805 | ± 4.3% | 46% | 12% | 10% | 4% | 28% |
| GrayHouse | April 22–24, 2025 | 262 | – | 24% | 6% | 7% | 8% | 55% |
| Siena College | April 14–16, 2025 | 802 | ± 4.4% | 44% | 12% | 9% | 5% | 30% |
| Data for Progress | March 26–31, 2025 | 767 | ± 4.0% | 51% | 11% | 11% | – | 27% |
| Siena College | March 2–6, 2025 | 400 | – | 46% | 11% | 10% | 4% | 28% |
| Citizen Data | February 10, 2025 | – | ± 4.4% | 52% | 15% | 12% | – | 21% |
Lieutenant governor
In May 2025, the legislature passed a bill ending separate primaries for the office of Lt. Governor, requiring candidates for that position and the governor to run in the primary as a team.Candidates
Potential
- Brian Cunningham, state assemblymember from the 43rd district
- Eric Gonzalez, Brooklyn District Attorney
- Nathalia Fernandez, state senator from the 34th district and candidate for Bronx borough president in 2021
- Walter Mosley, Secretary of State of New York
- Robert Rodriguez, president and CEO of the New York State Dormitory Authority
Declined
- Antonio Delgado, incumbent lieutenant governor ''''
Republican primary
Background
U.S. representative Elise Stefanik was considered a potential gubernatorial candidate throughout 2025. She formally announced her candidacy on November 7, 2025. A July 2025 Siena poll showed Stefanik leading two other potential Republican gubernatorial candidates, U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman. In May 2025, President Donald Trump endorsed Lawler and Blakeman for re-election to their current posts "in a not-so-subtle attempt to clear the field for upstate Congresswoman Elise Stefanik to get the GOP nomination".On July 23, 2025, Mike Lawler announced that he would run for re-election to Congress.
Blakeman was re-elected to the post of Nassau County executive by a double-digit margin in November 2025. On December 9, 2025, Blakeman launched his campaign for the 2026 Republican gubernatorial nomination. Shortly thereafter, on December 19, Stefanik announced she was withdrawing her candidacy. On December 20, President Trump endorsed Blakeman's candidacy.
Governor
Candidates
Declared
- Bruce Blakeman, Nassau County Executive
Filed paperwork
- Pat Hahn, union leader
- David Tulley, cannabis shop owner
Publicly expressed interest
- Larry Sharpe, Libertarian and We The People nominee
Withdrawn
- Carl Hyde Jr., town supervisor of Bethany
- Elise Stefanik, U.S. representative from
Declined
- Mike Lawler, U.S. representative from ''''
Polling
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Bruce Blakeman | Another candidate | Undecided |
| John Zogby Strategies | January 6–8, 2026 | – | – | 34% | 21% | 45% |
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Bruce Blakeman | Elise Stefanik | Other | Undecided |
| Siena College | December 8–12, 2025 | – | ± 4.1% | 17% | 48% | 1% | 34% |
| J.L. Partners | November 9–10, 2025 | 400 | ± 4.9% | 5% | 74% | 7% | 14% |
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Bruce Blakeman | Mike Lawler | Elise Stefanik | Other | Undecided |
| Siena College | June 23–26, 2025 | 800 | ± 4.4% | 7% | 18% | 35% | 1% | 39% |
| co/efficient | June 18–20, 2025 | 1108 | ± 3.8% | 6% | 8% | 64% | – | 22% |
| Siena College | May 12–15, 2025 | 805 | ± 4.3% | 11% | 22% | 35% | 2% | 30% |
| co/efficient | May 1–2, 2025 | 1163 | ± 3.3% | 8% | 9% | 56% | – | 27% |
| GrayHouse | April 22–24, 2025 | 400 | ± 5.0% | 5% | 7% | 44% | – | 44% |
| Siena College | April 14–16, 2025 | 802 | ± 4.4% | 28% | 22% | – | 4% | 46% |
| Siena College | March 2–6, 2025 | 400 | – | 13% | 25% | – | 3% | 60% |
Conservative primary
Governor
Candidates
Presumptive nominee
Independents and other parties
Candidates
Declared
- Larry Sharpe, business training company founder and perennial candidate
Filed paperwork
- Kevin Gay
Publicly expressed interest
- Carl Gottstein, conservative activist
- Brock Pierce, entrepreneur and candidate for president in 2020
General election
Polling
Aggregate polls| Source of poll aggregation | Dates administered | Dates updated | Kathy Hochul | Bruce Blakeman | Other/Undecided | Margin |
| Race to the WH | April 30, 2025 – January 14, 2026 | January 14, 2026 | 51.3% | 32.3% | 16.4% | Hochul +19.0% |
Kathy Hochul vs. Bruce Blakeman
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Kathy Hochul | Bruce Blakeman | Other | Undecided |
| John Zogby Strategies | January 6–8, 2026 | 844 | ± 3.4% | 53% | 39% | – | 8% |
| John Zogby Strategies | January 6–8, 2026 | 844 | ± 3.4% | 49% | 34% | 8% | 9% |
| Siena College | December 8–12, 2025 | 801 | ± 4.1% | 50% | 25% | 4% | 21% |
| J.L. Partners | November 9–10, 2025 | 500 | ± 4.4% | 47% | 36% | – | 17% |
| Siena College | June 23–26, 2025 | 800 | ± 4.4% | 44% | 19% | – | 37% |
| GrayHouse | April 22–24, 2025 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 44% | 36% | – | 20% |
Kathy Hochul vs. Elise Stefanik
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Kathy Hochul | Elise Stefanik | Other | Undecided |
| Siena College | December 8–12, 2025 | 801 | ± 4.1% | 49% | 30% | 1% | 20% |
| Siena College | November 10–12, 2025 | 802 | ± 4.0% | 52% | 32% | 2% | 14% |
| J.L. Partners | November 9–10, 2025 | 500 | ± 4.4% | 46% | 43% | – | 11% |
| Manhattan Institute | October 22–26, 2025 | 900 | ± 3.3% | 42% | 43% | 9% | 6% |
| GrayHouse | September 20–26, 2025 | 1,250 | ± 2.6% | 48% | 43% | – | 9% |
| Siena College | September 8–10, 2025 | 802 | ± 4.2% | 52% | 27% | 3% | 17% |
| Siena College | August 4–7, 2025 | 813 | ± 4.2% | 45% | 31% | 3% | 20% |
| Siena College | June 23–26, 2025 | 800 | ± 4.4% | 47% | 24% | – | 29% |
| Harper Polling | May 7–9, 2025 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 50% | 39% | – | 11% |
| co/efficient | May 1–2, 2025 | 1,163 | ± 3.3% | 43% | 42% | – | 15% |
| GrayHouse | April 22–24, 2025 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 46% | 40% | – | 14% |
Kathy Hochul vs. Mike Lawler
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Kathy Hochul | Mike Lawler | Other | Undecided |
| Siena College | June 23–26, 2025 | 800 | ± 4.4% | 44% | 24% | – | 32% |
| Harper Polling | May 7–9, 2025 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 48% | 41% | – | 11% |
| GrayHouse | April 22–24, 2025 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 45% | 38% | – | 17% |
| Citizen Data | February 10, 2025 | 1,000 | ± 3.1% | 46% | 38% | 10% | 6% |
Kathy Hochul vs. different candidate
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Kathy Hochul | Different Candidate | Undecided |
| Siena College | November 10–12, 2025 | 802 | ± 4.0% | 42% | 48% | 10% |
| J.L. Partners | November 9–10, 2025 | 500 | ± 4.4% | 37% | 55% | 7% |
| GrayHouse | September 20–26, 2025 | 1,250 | ± 2.6% | 34% | 59% | 7% |
| Siena College | September 8–10, 2025 | 802 | ± 4.2% | 37% | 51% | 12% |
| Siena College | August 4–7, 2025 | 813 | ± 4.2% | 35% | 53% | 12% |
| Siena College | June 23–26, 2025 | 800 | ± 4.4% | 37% | 55% | 8% |
| Siena College | May 12–15, 2025 | 805 | ± 4.3% | 36% | 55% | 9% |
| GrayHouse | April 22–24, 2025 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 27% | 61% | 12% |
| Siena College | April 14–16, 2025 | 802 | ± 4.4% | 39% | 48% | 13% |
| Siena College | March 2–6, 2025 | 806 | ± 4.3% | 34% | 56% | 10% |
| Siena College | January 27–30, 2025 | 803 | ± 4.2% | 31% | 57% | 12% |
| Siena College | December 2–5, 2024 | 1,059 | ± 4.1% | 33% | 57% | 11% |
| Slingshot Strategies | May 2–3, 2024 | 1,059 | ± 5.0% | 34% | 44% | 21% |
Kathy Hochul vs. generic Republican
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Kathy Hochul | Generic Republican | Undecided |
| J.L. Partners | November 9–10, 2025 | 500 | ± 4.4% | 45% | 42% | 13% |
Antonio Delgado vs. Elise Stefanik
| Poll source | Date administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Antonio Delgado | Elise Stefanik | Undecided |
| Manhattan Institute | October 22–26, 2025 | 900 | ± 3.3% | 37% | 43% | 20% |