After winning re-election, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has left open the possibility of joining the Democratic presidential ticket in 2028.
Asked what she would say if a presidential candidate approached her about becoming a running mate, Hochul replied that she had never been someone who shut doors. Still, she said her focus is on serving New Yorkers during the next four years.
Hochul said she wants to keep advocating for state priorities, including universal child care, and hopes to make the case for the policy nationally. She said New Yorkers had responded positively to the idea.
Several Democrats are already being discussed as possible 2028 contenders, among them former Vice President Kamala Harris, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.
Democratic strategist Isaac Goldberg said Hochul may not yet be part of the conversation among the party’s most nationally prominent figures, but he did not see that as a drawback.
Hochul defeated Republican Bruce Blakeman in Tuesday’s gubernatorial election, winning an estimated 59.7% of the vote to his 40.1%. In a post the following day, she said she still believed in New York and was confident the state’s best days were ahead.
At a March event, Hochul praised what she called the Democrats’ deep bench of qualified governors who could run for president in 2028. She said they had been tested in office and added that she might be partial to governors because many were friends of hers.
Hochul has frequently criticized President Donald Trump. In September, she accused his administration’s Department of Homeland Security of withholding millions of dollars in counterterrorism funding for New York. The next month, she said she was enthusiastic about the possibility of a Democratic-led Congress using investigations and hearings to slow Trump’s agenda.
