2022 Election Night live coverage: Hochul declares victory over Zeldin in New York governor’s race

Thomas O'Neil-White

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WBFO News

Voters across Western New York made their way to the polls Tuesday morning, and beyond doing their civic duty, some were voting with one issue in mind.

“Replacing the current governor we have,” said Steven, who was voting at John F. Kennedy Senior High School in Cheektowaga.

Another voter, who, like all of those who spoke with WBFO, did not wish to give their full name, explained why Gov. Kathy Hochul has to be voted out in favor of Republican challenger Lee Zeldin.

“Bad government. The crime the way it is,” the voter said. “Things like that.”

Outside of a polling place in Lackawanna’s First Ward, Rodney said democracy is at stake, which is why he was voting down the Democrat line.

“I'm concerned about insurance, health issues. I'm concerned about the weapons that's on the street that's killing our people,” he said. “I'm concerned about abortion rights. I'm concerned about life.”

Outside of Gloria J. Parks Community Center in Buffalo, Wilfred said voting in fair elections was important to him, having escaped the Duvalier government in Haiti.

“I grew up under what I call an autocratic dictatorship and an autocratic government,” he said. “And I come here and what do I see? I see people here have all these benefits that they are enjoying. But they are complaining about everything.”

Wilfred is now concerned that extremist elements in the U.S. are putting democracy at stake.

“When I was a kid, when my parents actually explained to me how Duvalier came about, and how Duvalier came about is exactly what [Donald] Trump was doing and what the Republican Party is doing,” he said. “When we demonize the press and you shatter people's trust in institutions, it's easy to overthrow and overrun everything. And that's what Trump and the Republican Party is doing.”

One thing voters could agree on was the expediency of the voting process.

“It was good. They sign you in and they give you the folder with the balance sheet in and then a pen,” Rodney said. “In and out.”

What seemed to be a relatively easy race for Gov. Kathy Hochul has turned into a potentially close one against Republican challenger Lee Zeldin.

Zeldin, a Long Island congressman, has been gaining ground in the weeks leading up to Election Day, as Hochul’s once-healthy lead in the polls has narrowed to single digits in some cases. She has a 7.8% lead, according to a poll by FiveThirtyEight.

Zeldin has focused on worries over the increase in violent crime, and has vowed to eliminate the state’s 2019 bail reform laws, which ended many forms of cash bail. He has said he would issue executive orders temporarily rescinding the criminal justice changes to pressure the state Legislature to make changes, and to remove district attorneys who he believes aren’t doing enough to prosecute crimes.

Hochul convinced the Legislature last April to tighten the bail reform laws, and says no anti-crime package will be effective without gun safety measures, something that Zeldin opposes.

Hochul, a Democrat who took over as the state’s chief executive when Andrew Cuomo resigned in disgrace last year, has based her campaign on preserving abortion rights in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade. Zeldin is anti-abortion, but has said he would not change New York’s abortion rights laws if he is elected.

Hochul has also argued that Zeldin would endanger democracy. Zeldin has been endorsed by former President Donald Trump and voted against certifying the 2020 presidential election. Zeldin has downplayed his ties to Trump, saying that he doubts most New Yorkers care much about a past president and instead want to look to the future.

Gov. Kathy Hochul and Republican challenger Lee Zeldin both made their Election Day closing arguments by campaigning in New York City.

Hochul visited Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens, and appeared alongside fellow Democrats like New York State Attorney General Letitia James and New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who are both up for re-election.

Hochul highlighted her campaign priorities — gun safety, abortion access and clean energy — in a Tweet Tuesday morning.

Hochul, who took over when Andrew Cuomo resigned in disgrace in August 2021, also called serving as New York’s governor the “honor of my life.”

“And I’ve loved every conversation I’ve been able to have on the campaign trail,” she tweeted.

Zeldin, a Long Island congressman who has made reducing crime the main focus of his campaign, greeted supporters in Brooklyn and at subway stop in Queens.

He tweeted, “Losing is not an option! Keep pushing to the MAX. Work even harder now than ever before. Make sure everyone is in line for the polls by 9pm.”

Carolyn Kaster

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AP Photo

The Associated Press is projecting that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has won his re-election bid.

The New York Democrat has earned 64.3% of the vote with just over a quarter of election districts reporting results, according to the New York State Board of Elections as of 9:30 p.m. Republican challenger Joe Pinion has 23.2% of the vote.

Tuesday’s midterms will determine whether Democrats hold on to control of the Senate and whether Schumer remains majority leader.

Nick Langworthy has declared victory in the race for New York’s 23rd Congressional District.

Langworthy, New York’s GOP chairman, told his supporters from Republican headquarters that “it looks like we’re heading to a massive victory.” Langworthy’s Democratic opponent, Max Della Pia, conceded the race shortly afterward.

New York State Boards of Elections data shows Langworthy with 57.5% of the vote with about a quarter of election districts reporting. Della Pia has 39.7%.

Langworthy was heavily favored to win the deep-red district after earning the GOP nomination this summer. He defeated Buffalo real estate developer Carl Paladino in August’s Republican primary.

Speaking to supporters Tuesday night, Langworthy said he got into the race because of high food and energy prices caused by inflation, and felt he could no longer “sit on the sidelines.”

“I knew it was time to put up or shut up,” he said.

The Associated Press is projecting that Congressman Brian Higgins has won his re-election bid.

The Buffalo Democrat has earned 64.2% of the vote in New York’s 26th Congressional District, according to the New York State Board of Elections. Republican challenger Steven Sams II has 23.2% of the vote.

“This is a great victory and we’re looking forward to doing great things for Buffalo, Western New York moving forward,” Higgins told supporters from Democratic headquarters.

In what was a battle of incumbent New York state senators due to redistricting, Democrat Sean Ryan has declared victory over Republican Ed Rath III.

Ryan earned 61% of the vote, while Rath earned 36.2%, according to state Board of Elections data.

Speaking to supporters at Democratic headquarters, Ryan acknowledged the negative advertisements against him in recent weeks. Some of those attempted to tie him to New York City progressives and democratic socialist India Walton, who Ryan endorsed in the Buffalo mayor’s race last year.

“Looks like no one believed them. Thank God,” Ryan said.

Left: Bebeto Matthews/AP

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Right: Erik Pendzich/Shutterstock

Gov. Kathy Hochul has declared victory over Republican challenger Lee Zeldin.

The Western New York native and the state’s first female governor tweeted her declaration at 11:12 p.m. Tuesday The announcement came just minutes after NBC News called the race for her.

Hochul has earned 55.8% of the vote, while Zeldin has 43.2%, according to the New York State Board of Elections.

Hochul was a heavy favorite throughout much of the race, but Zeldin, a Long Island congressman, appeared to be gaining ground in the weeks leading up to Election Day. Many polls showed her once-healthy lead narrowed to single digits; FiveThirtyEight showed her lead at 7.8% as of Election Day.

This was Hochul’s first contest as governor. Then serving as lieutenant governor, she was named governor after Andrew Cuomo resigned in disgrace in August of 2021.