Election analysis results show that Democrat Kathy Hochul has black voters to thank for her election win to keep her job as governor against Republican Lee Zeldin.
While Zeldin’s law and order campaign made inroads with once blue-leaning Asian, Jewish and Latino voters, black voters were Hochul’s firewall in southeast Queens, central Brooklyn, Harlem and parts of the Bronx.
Hochul received a staggering 90% or more votes in many of the city’s predominantly Afro-American and Afro-Caribbean districts. These are the same working and middle class voters who propelled Mayor Eric Adams last year.
“Oh, absolutely. Oh, definitely the black community elected Kathy Hochul governor,” said state Assemblywoman Inez Dickens.
In Dickens’ 70th Assembly District, residents delivered 27,968 votes for Hochul, and just 2,287 for Zeldin.
“Zeldin is too closely associated with former President Donald Trump for black voters and isn’t seen as a moderate in the mold of former three-term GOP Gov. George Pataki. Trump endorsed Zeldin just weeks before the Nov. 8 election,” Dickens added. “If Zeldin was a Pataki Republican, he would have done better. He was considered a Trumper by black voters. That was a very, very big part of it.”
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards said, “Like any other New Yorkers, black voters are concerned about crime, but focusing on locking people up is perceived as fear mongering and dog whistling without discussions about opportunities and youth programs to discourage law-breaking.”
“You can have justice and safety at the same time,” Richards said. “We can’t police and incarcerate out of crime. There’s a question of access to good jobs, housing and education. Zeldin’s campaign reminded black voters of Trump.”
Both Richards and Dickens pointed out Hochul is well-known in their communities, having visited regularly for years when she was lieutenant governor under ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who resigned last year amid sexual harassment and misconduct accusations.
“Gov. Hochul doesn’t need a GPS to know where south Queens is. She’s been a consistent presence and attentive,” Richards said.
Another example of a woman stealing a job from a man. This country is in sad shape.