Governor Hochul, Adrienne Adams Nominated as Historic All-Woman Democratic Ticket in New York

• I.S. Saluja

SYRACUSE, NY (TIP): New York State Governor Kathy Hochul on February 6 formally accepted the Democratic Party’s nomination to seek re-election in the 2026 statewide polls, as party delegates gathered here at the New York State Democratic Convention named her and former New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams as the party’s candidates for Governor and Lieutenant Governor respectively.
The designation is historic, marking the first time a major political party in New York has fielded an all-woman ticket for the state’s two top executive offices.
Addressing a packed convention hall, Governor Hochul thanked party chair Jay Jacobs, the executive committee, and party workers for what she called a “remarkable and unified effort,” while also acknowledging delegates who braved winter conditions to attend the Syracuse convention. With characteristic humor, she noted that Syracuse had welcomed them without a blizzard, adding, “Just don’t look at the thermometers.”
In a warm personal opening, the Governor paid tribute to her family—her husband Bill Hochul, whom she described as “my rock,” her children and grandchildren—crediting them for sustaining her through years of public life and sixteen hard-fought elections.
Accepting the nomination “with great pride,” Hochul reflected on her journey from growing up in a struggling steel town to becoming Governor of New York, and on her formative years as a political science student at Syracuse University. She recalled early activism against apartheid, student-led affordability campaigns, and her experiences working locally, noting how those years shaped her lifelong focus on economic justice and fairness.
Turning to governance, Hochul said she assumed office during one of the most challenging periods in the state’s history amid a global pandemic, rising crime, economic disruption, and uncertainty, but claimed New York had since staged a strong recovery. Citing record-low crime rates across multiple regions and the creation of over one million private-sector jobs, she pointed to a “rebirth of advanced manufacturing” across upstate New York, including the $100-billion Micron investment in Central New York, which she said would generate tens of thousands of jobs.
The Governor struck a defiant and combative note in criticizing developments at the federal level, accusing President Donald Trump and today’s Republican Party of undermining democratic norms, civil liberties, and affordability for working families. She drew a sharp contrast between what she described as “leaders who intimidate and dominate” and Democratic leadership that “yields power to improve people’s lives.”
Hochul also launched a blistering attack on her Republican opponent, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, alleging that his policies and rhetoric encouraged lawlessness and intimidation. “No one deserves to die at the hands of the federal government,” she declared, vowing that New York would stand as a bulwark against excesses of power.
Emphasizing unity, the Governor praised Attorney General Letitia James, Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and Democratic leaders in Washington, including Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand. She underscored the importance of Democratic victories in New York to reshaping Congress and supporting House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
In introducing Adrienne Adams as her running mate, Hochul described the former City Council Speaker as a “seasoned pro” with toughness forged through years of legislative leadership, thanking her for joining the ticket.
Concluding her remarks, Hochul urged Democrats to remain mobilized for the battles ahead, framing the 2026 election as a fight for democracy, decency, and the future of working families. To prolonged applause, she ended with a rallying call that underscored the historic nature of the moment: “You don’t want to mess with the badass women of New York.”