New York Gov. Kathy Hockle on Friday pushed back against comments by former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that Democrats lost House seats in New York state because the governor was a weak top contender.
“I can safely say that there has never been a governor in the history of New York state who has worked harder to get elected officials elected than I have,” Hoekl said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” “I know how to do it, and I’m going to win on the ground. Now is my chance to focus on that.”
In an interview with Politico on Thursday, Pelosi blamed Horckle’s narrower-than-expected victory in New York’s 2022 gubernatorial race for Democrats’ failure to retain the House majority in that year’s elections. New York Republicans took back four Democratic-held seats in the midterm elections, but critics said Horckle may have been a drag on weaker candidates.
When asked about Pelosi’s assertion, the governor responded firmly, “I don’t agree with that.”
Hawkle cited his efforts to raise money for the New York Democratic Party and funnel it to his home counties, as well as his ongoing coordination with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and hundreds of staffers across 35 offices.
Pelosi said Thursday that she had not spoken with Haukl about this year’s election but had consulted with Jeffries that morning, who stressed the importance of “the three M’s: mobilization, messaging and funding.”
Hokel acknowledged Friday that because “I’m not a candidate myself this year,” he’s been “laser-focused” on key purple districts that include the Hudson Valley, Syracuse, Central New York and Long Island.
“We’re going to win these races and we’re going to win them strong,” she said.
