Hochul launches first digital ad, taking on Trump

Related video: Hochul vows to explore ‘every option’ to redraw NY House maps

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s (D) reelection campaign launched its first digital ad Monday, positioning her as an opponent to President Trump’s administration in the Empire State. 

“She doesn’t come from money, and she’s not just our governor. She’s a mom from Buffalo, and it doesn’t get much tougher than that,” a narrator describes Hochul in the ad. 

The spot then shows clips of the governor pledging to fight “fire with fire,” as well as a clip from the governor’s testimony before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee in June. 

“If Tom Homan comes to Albany to arrest me, I’ll say, go for it. You can’t intimidate a governor,” she says in the clip from the hearing. 

The Hill was the first outlet to view the spot, which will run across Meta platforms. 

Hochul is facing reelection next year in the blue state that President Trump gained some ground in in 2024. A Siena College poll released earlier this month showed Hochul with a 14-point lead over Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), who is expected to launch a challenge against the incumbent governor. That August poll was down from the 23-point lead Hochul had over Stefanik in June. The poll also showed Hochul with a 53 percent approval rating and a 42 percent disapproval rating. 

Hochul has become one of the leading Democratic opponents of recent Republican redistricting efforts in red states. Last week the governor met with legislative leaders in the state to discuss how New York Democrats can go about redistricting.