Hochul Appears With Ocasio-Cortez While Disavowing 'Antisemitic' Chants

Gov. Kathy Hochul appeared alongside U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at an event in Hopewell Junction on Wednesday, though Hochul distanced herself from chants of "from the river to the sea" that were heard from supporters at a recent Ocasio-Cortez rally.

Ocasio-Cortez was met with the controversial slogan, which critics interpret as a call for the eradication of Israel, during a campaign event in Ithaca the previous week. Hochul described the slogan as "antisemitic" and stated it "does not represent the values of the Democratic Party."

The event featuring Hochul and Ocasio-Cortez was presented as a roundtable discussion concerning the governor's recent moratorium on data centers. Hochul indicated that she and Ocasio-Cortez are aligned on "fighting for affordability" and "standing up to the excesses and the abuse of the Trump administration."

Hochul, who faces a reelection challenge from Republican Bruce Blakeman, is navigating a political landscape that requires her to appeal to moderate Democrats while also energizing the party's left wing. Recent polls from Siena University and Quinnipiac University suggest that Hochul's margin of victory could be influenced by voter turnout among Democrats in New York City.

When asked about her reliance on Ocasio-Cortez for support, Hochul dismissed the notion, stating, "You’re doing far more calculation than I ever have."

Ocasio-Cortez departed the joint event with Hochul without answering questions about the chants. Her spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.