NEW YORK — New York Mayor Eric Adams endorsed Gov. Kathy Hochul for reelection at a Manhattan union hall on Wednesday, describing her as an “amazing governor” and painting their partnership as an “unprecedented” departure from historic discord between their two posts.
“We need a worker. We need someone with a vision, someone who knows how to roll up their sleeves and get stuff done in the State of New York,” Adams told a cheering crowd of union workers in Midtown. “Let’s put Kathy Hochul back into the Governor’s Mansion.”
The endorsement arrived less than two weeks ahead of the June 28 Election Day in the Democratic primary, and seemed to serve as icing on a race that Hochul has dominated.
She holds vast leads over Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, a progressive, and Rep. Tom Suozzi, a Long Island centrist, according to opinion polls. Both of the long-shot challengers had sought Adams’ endorsement.
Some had wondered if the mayor, who has enjoyed a cozy public relationship with Hochul, was holding off with his endorsement to enhance his leverage with the governor during the close of the legislative session in Albany.
He told NY1 ahead of the endorsement event, “This is the right time; we’re near the Election Day. We’re going to get out the votes.”
And he delivered a spirited case for the governor’s reelection in his speech at the headquarters of Local 32BJ of the Service Employees International Union, portraying her as a tireless and passionate champion of everyday New Yorkers, and a collaborative leader in government.
“Our priorities are your priorities — the same thing you want is what we want,” Adams said, refashioning favored lines about himself and ascribing them to Hochul. “We are you. And we’re not new to this, we’re true to this.”
Then, he listed off successes he said Hochul had brought to New York City, including an increase to the earned income tax credit, subsidies for parents and a blueprint to boost and fund the New York City Housing Authority.
He punctuated each line: “Why? Governor Hochul.”
Speaking after the mayor, Hochul declared that “relationships in government matter” and continued to tout the pair’s work on policy as the crowd showered her with chants of “Kathy! Kathy!”
Observers had expected Adams to endorse the governor for months. Both Democrats are relatively moderate, they are roughly the same age, and they worked together for years before taking their respective posts. Hochul spoke at Adams’ election night party in November.
The link between the two has so far served as a dramatic contrast to the hostile relationship between former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who resigned in August, and former Mayor Bill de Blasio, whose term ended at the end of 2021.
New York City mayors have quarreled with governors for decades — in a stew of overlapping egos and powers — and it remains to be seen if Adams and Hochul can maintain their friendly relations.
But the governor expressed confidence, saying that she and Adams have forged “a partnership where none existed before.”
“The era of the governor of New York and the mayor of New York City fighting is over,” Hochul said. “We’ll roll up our sleeves and fight for you — the people of this city.”
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