“This is a different time and it’s a different circumstance,” New York Democratic Chair Jay Jacobs said.
Hochul, who represented a conservative western New York House district, has tread lightly on Trump.
New York Democrats may have little choice to react if the Trump administration tries to pressure the state to change so-called sanctuary policies.
Sidestepping Trump could be unavoidable as Republicans try to leverage voters’ concerns into electoral success.
“I’m not here to play defense, I’m not here to just have rhetorical debates on issues,” Democratic state Sen. Pat Fahy said.
ALBANY, New York — As their legislative session begins on Wednesday, the Democrats in power in deep blue states like New York intend to avoid conflict with Donald Trump, despite their attempts to thwart his first term.
Gov. has a greater appetite. According to a review of Hochul’s recent actions to embrace cost-of-living concerns and interviews with six legislators, political advisers, and Democratic officials, state lawmakers and Kathy Hochul should be criticized for focusing on his winning issues instead of challenging him.
It is anticipated that the topics that brought Trump back to the White House—public safety, inflation, and immigration—will take center stage in Albany. Hochul, a well-known stand-in for President Joe Biden until his resignation, is responding to voters’ worries about the cost of living with a new “affordability agenda” that includes tax breaks for low-income New Yorkers and families as well as a photo op trip to the grocery store.
According to New York Democratic Chair Jay Jacobs, “this is a different time and it’s a different circumstance.”. “You need to read the space. Voters don’t want to see personal attacks or similar behavior from either party. They want to see results. “”.
For Hochul, a moderate who struggles with low approval ratings and is expected to face fierce competition when she runs for reelection next year, the stakes are particularly high. Trump’s electoral gains in some areas of New York City, including neighborhoods where working-class people of color reside, have Democrats worried that their party’s nearly two-decade hold on statewide power may end, even as they flipped three House seats.
Representing a conservative western New York House district, Hochul has been tactful in his criticism of Trump. She vowed to shield vulnerable New Yorkers, such as LGBTQ+ individuals and undocumented immigrants, from Trump-backed policies during a joint news conference with Trump opponent Attorney General Letitia James in the days following his victory in November.
Hochul has changed course since then to address cost issues. Subject to legislative approval, she intends to increase a child tax credit and provide income-eligible New Yorkers with a $500 rebate check. In order to make child care programs more affordable, the governor is also anticipated to advocate for increased funding.
Following high-profile incidents, such as the murder of a homeless woman who was set on fire and the serious injuries of a man who was pushed on the tracks in front of an approaching train, she has also unveiled a plan to increase safety on public transportation. Civil liberties advocates oppose the governor’s plan to make it easier for people with serious mental illnesses to be admitted to hospitals against their will.
Hochul is in a strong, if not secure, position with voters if he addresses the cost of living and crime, two issues that polls indicate are major concerns for New Yorkers.
She recently told reporters that affordability and public safety are the top two concerns, even before the November elections. Elections won’t stop me from doing it because it’s the right thing to do. Individuals are in pain at the moment, and as a state, party, or nation, we cannot ignore their pleas for assistance. “”.
When New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who is currently battling corruption charges, seeks a second term this year, it will be another test for Democrats on the left. Black and Orthodox Jewish voters have backed Adams, who has urged lawmakers to further curtail liberal criminal justice laws and do away with income taxes for low-wage New Yorkers. A legislature that includes three of his opponents for the Democratic nomination will need to approve those proposals.
Adams’ agenda might mesh with a more general political atmosphere despite his numerous issues. Across the country, Democratic-controlled states have been prepared to defy left-leaning policies. For example, voters in California supported a ballot measure to toughen penalties for retail theft and rejected progressive-aligned prosecutors in November.
Attempts are required, according to Democratic lawmakers, to address violent, high-profile incidents on New York City subways. Their goal is to lower the cost of living, which gave Trump a strong political platform after the COVID-19 pandemic. High-ranking Democrats are also aware that voters are restless and probably won’t want to watch a wrestling match with Trump, as half of them think the state is going in the wrong direction.
Democrats in New York might not have much of a choice in how they respond if the Trump administration attempts to pressure the state to alter its so-called sanctuary policies. Trump’s inner circle hasn’t hidden their intentions to take a strong stance on the matter. Tom Homan, the president-elect’s appointed immigration czar, hasn’t completely ruled out forbidding the reentry of vehicles bearing New York license plates. A. from Canada, unless a state law permitting undocumented immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses is changed. Hochul, a county official who had first opposed the law 20 years prior, called the idea of denying entry to New Yorkers “bizarre” and showed little interest in changing it.
Karoline Leavitt, the incoming Trump press secretary, told POLITICO in a statement that President Trump will use all federal resources and work with state authorities to launch the biggest deportation operation of drug dealers, human traffickers, and illegal criminals in American history while also reducing costs for families.
Officials in New York have been urged by immigration advocates to improve protections for undocumented immigrants. A proposal to restrict the amount of cooperation between state law enforcement agencies and federal immigration authorities is one that would expand on an executive order that the then-Governor signed. Andrew Cuomo in 2017. However, left-leaning Democrats’ demands to “Trump proof” state legislation prior to the inauguration were turned down. Crazy suggestions, such as the proposal made by Senate Finance Chair Liz Krueger to have New York secede and join Canada, highlight the dearth of choices for worried Democrats.
Members of the legislature have ideas.
During the first few weeks of the session, the Democratic-led Legislature is anticipated to concentrate on issues that typically excite base voters, such as women’s voting rights and reproductive policies.
Republicans may be unable to avoid Trump as they attempt to use voters’ anxieties to their advantage in the election. GOP lawmakers think that the disparate issues that voters face are connected: New York is still a high-tax state, housing costs are high, and last year’s response to the migrant crisis cost taxpayers $2.09 billion. According to Robert Ortt, the Senate Minority Leader, there is a belief that New Yorkers aren’t getting the most for their money.
He stated, “A lot of these issues— they’re not siloed.”. People’s everyday lives and how they perceive current events and whether the state and city are moving in the right direction are related to them. “”.
Trump’s victories with New York voters did not help the GOP further down the ballot. Republicans achieved a slight win by shattering a Democratic supermajority in the state Senate, but they also lost three House seats. Nonetheless, the comparatively small victory of Vice President Kamala Harris in New York, which was the smallest margin for a Democratic nominee since 1988, has been regarded as a warning.
Democratic state senator: “I’m not here to play defense, I’m not here to just debate issues rhetorically.”. Pat Fahy stated. My purpose is to concentrate on the tangible. “”.
Voters won’t be able to see Hochul or the 150 members of the state legislature until 2026. The Albany proceedings, however, will be overshadowed by the elections in New York City.
Three state senators were Adams’ Democratic primary rivals. Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani, Zellnor Myrie, and Jessica Ramos will all have a say in the mayor’s Albany agenda. For families earning between $31,503 and $46,350, Adams has advocated for the removal of the city’s income tax; however, this proposal needs state approval. Republicans have used the contentious law that restricts when cash bail is needed in criminal cases to their advantage in elections, and he wants to further weaken it.
Hochul has indicated that she would consider the roughly $63 million income tax proposal. It would be more difficult to change the bail law, which was signed into law by Cuomo, another possible opponent of the current mayor.
After Hochul made minor changes to the bail law in 2023 in response to criticism from left-leaning advocates, many New York district attorneys have denounced the reform and have no intention of lobbying for changes. Rather, they will concentrate on amending a law that controls the procurement of evidence by defense attorneys in criminal cases.
Mike McMahon, the district attorney for Staten Island, stated, “Really, we’ve been working on building momentum to change the discovery laws.”. The bail law did receive some revisions that improved it somewhat. We need to be aware of that and avoid wasting anyone’s time. “.”.
Hochul hasn’t demonstrated a strong desire to argue with other Democrats. Attempting to be accommodative with lawmakers, she became governor in 2021 after Cuomo resigned over allegations of sexual harassment, which he has denied. Although the strategy yielded mixed results, she did win high-profile victories for a comprehensive housing plan, but state Senate Democrats rejected her nominee to lead the state’s top court.
Hochul needs to be more assertive, according to some.
According to Republican strategist Bill O’Reilly, “she needs to get into a big public fight with the left wing of her party.”. People must see that she is not an extremist and that she is listening to their problems. “”.
