The Brooklyn Democratic Party has withdrawn its endorsement of Gov. Kathy Hochul ahead of the state Democratic Party’s nominating convention, the news outlet Hell Gate reported, an unusual break from a sitting governor by one of the state’s largest county organizations as she heads into her reelection campaign.
According to Hell Gate, the move by the Brooklyn party and its chair, Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, came in the same week Hochul would otherwise have appeared to be in a commanding position. The outlet reported that Hochul leads comfortably in polls for her reelection bid and that her approval ratings are higher than ever.
The Brooklyn organization’s decision landed days before Friday’s state Democratic Party nominating convention, according to the outlet. Hell Gate did not, in the portion of its newsletter available, detail the specific reasoning the Brooklyn Democratic Party gave for rescinding its endorsement.
Hell Gate reported that Hochul this week drew a series of high-profile endorsements from within the party. Mayor Zohran Mamdani endorsed her, and Attorney General Letitia James is backing her campaign, according to the outlet.
The unendorsement followed Hochul’s announcement on Wednesday that former City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams would be her running mate in this year’s election, Hell Gate reported. The outlet noted that the pairing would mark the first time in the state’s history that a party ticket is led by all women.
