Rep. Tom Suozzi will not attend a Long Island campaign event with Gov. Kathy Hochul on Saturday, citing a pre-existing commitment. This marks another instance of Democratic candidates creating distance from the state's unpopular governor as midterm elections approach.
Suozzi's campaign stated that the five-term congressman was "fully booked" and unable to attend the "Nassau County Young Democrats’ Bus Tour and Canvass Launch." This follows similar moves by other down-ballot Democrats. Cait Conley, a challenger in a battleground district, publicly agreed with Republican Rep. Mike Lawler's statement that Hochul "has got to go." Blake Gendebien, running for a seat upstate, also declined to state whether he would support Hochul when asked by a local radio station.
Suozzi, a former Nassau County executive who challenged Hochul in the 2022 gubernatorial primary, explained his absence by referencing a standing "dim sum meet-and-greet" event. Sources indicated that state Democratic Party officials had been urging prominent Democrats to attend events with the governor.
While Rep. Laura Gillen, another Nassau County incumbent facing a challenge, confirmed her attendance at the Hochul event, neither she nor Suozzi listed the governor's endorsement on their campaign websites. Gillen has previously criticized Hochul for her support of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
Recent polling suggests a potential reason for the Democrats' reluctance to be closely associated with Hochul. While she holds a significant lead in New York City, her margin narrows considerably in the downstate suburbs, which include Long Island, Westchester, Rockland, and Putnam counties. Upstate, recent polling indicates Hochul trails her Republican opponent. The governor's favorability and job approval ratings are also hovering below 50%.
When questioned about Conley's remarks, Hochul downplayed the impact on down-ballot races, stating she doesn't "lose a lot of sleep over other people's debates." She suggested Conley had clarified her statements, though the Conley campaign initially released a statement accusing Lawler of lying. However, Conley later called Hochul to apologize for any misunderstandings, according to Politico.
Political strategist David Carlucci commented that while it's not uncommon for candidates to differ with party leaders, grace is usually involved. He noted the differing constituencies faced by Hochul and her challengers.
Hochul's ties to down-ballot races have been a concern since 2022, when Republicans gained three seats in New York, contributing to their control of the House. Prominent Democrats, including then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, reportedly blamed the gubernatorial race for those losses.