As always, the contents of this blog constitute a compendium of multiple media reports supplemented by my personal opinion where indicated.
I know Kat and Zoh sounds like a vaudeville act. Unfortunately, their alliance is not a comedy act. It is deadly serious, and I believe it could have dire consequences for NYS and NYC, particularly if Kat wins re-election in November. As governor, Kat’s most critical task is to halt the exodus of businesses and wealthy individuals. She has failed miserably at that. In fact, her policies have escalated those trends. And yet, she is still leading in the polls and will likely be re-elected. Go figure.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani have forged a symbiotic political alliance. In essence, Zoh needs Kat’s support to fund his ambitious, excessively-expensive neo-communist program including, among others, tax increases, free bus rides, and universal childcare. On the other hand, Kat needs Zoh’s support with the far left in order to win re-election.
Relationship examples:
- Zoh has pledged to actively campaign and “stump” for Kat in the 2026 gubernatorial election. According to a recent Siena Poll, 50% of likely voters believe his endorsement will improve Kat’s chances of being re-elected. I would agree.
- Whatever happened to Zoh’s campaign promises? The homeless crisis has exacerbated. I haven’t heard anything recently about the much-balley-hooed government-run grocery stores. What is the status of the free bus rides? His program to tax the second homes of the wealthy was mismanaged and then shot down by the SC. Crime has been increasing. The quality of life in NYC has been deteriorating. I can’t think of one positive accomplishment. If you are cognizant of one please let me know. In my opinion, Zoh has gaslighted those who voted for him. I wonder how many of them would like a mulligan.
- Kat has provided approximately $8 billion to help close NYC’s huge budget deficit. How is the state going to pay for that largesse? One guess. City Comptroller Mark Levine and fiscal watchdogs have warned that the balanced FY 2027 budget plan relies heavily on one-time fixes, and they estimated deficits ranging from $7.1 billion to $8.8 billion for FY 2028 and subsequent years. In addition, they denoted that certain recurring costs for housing vouchers, public assistance, and municipal overtime, among others, remain underbudgeted in future projections. In reading this I am reminded of George Bush’s characterization of Ronald Reagan’s economics program as “voodoo economics.”
- Kat has moved far to the left to placate Zoh and his supporters. In my view she has morphed into a far left tax and spend advocate. An analysis promulgated by the City Journal disclosed that with respect to her last five budgets spending jumped some 40%.
- I predict that regardless of her pledge not to raise NYS taxes, if she wins re-election she will do so, and not just on the wealthy. It wouldn’t be her first flip-flop. Some of you may recall she flip-flopped on the Congestion Pricing issue after the 2022 election.
- Kat has changed her stance on Israel, Netanyahu, and Jews to curry favor with Zoh, who has made his extreme, unrelenting hatred of Israel, Netanyahu and Jews very clear. She is now more of a hardliner. For example, she recently attacked Netanyahu calling him a “liar.”
- Kat has embraced many elements of the excessively-expensive New Green New Deal that is being espoused by Zoh and his far left cohorts and which act to raise consumers’ energy prices. These include oppposing energy extraction and transportation and blocking the construction of pipelines.
CONCLUSION
The pre-election news is not good for the GOP. Most polls still show the Dems leading in most of the battleground states and even making inroads in traditionally “red” states.
Despite all the good Trump has accomplished in his second term, the voters are focusing on the current state of the economy and the Iran War. Although Trump has reduced the rate of inflation from that of the previous administration and the economic forecast for 2027 is very positive, he has gotten no credit for that. Unfortunately voters are only concerned with the present. With respect to the war they are not giving him sufficient credit for ending Iran’s nuclear threat. They’re more focused on the length of the war and the resultant energy price increases.
Unless the Repubs step up their game and soon there is a strong chance that the Dems will capture both houses of Congress. I outlined the disastrous ramifications of that in a previous blog.
