A powerful labor union has launched a blistering advertising campaign portraying Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul as so “radioactive” and “toxic” that candidates in her own party are distancing themselves ahead of the midterms.
The Transport Workers Union of America began airing the ads Friday, one day before early voting began. Its local members include about 40,000 New York City subway and bus workers covered by an MTA contract that expired in May.
“Governor Kathy Hochul is so radioactive, even Democratic candidates are running away from her,” the opening voiceover says. As the state’s top Democrat, Hochul effectively oversees the MTA through her power to make appointments.
“They’re increasingly recognizing that the governor is a disaster for working New Yorkers and a major drag on their own political campaigns,” the ad continues.
The spots point to two recent episodes: Democratic Long Island Rep. Tom Suozzi backing out of a campaign event with Hochul, and Cait Conley, a Democratic congressional candidate in the Hudson Valley, appearing on video agreeing with her Republican opponent that the governor “has got to go.” Both incidents were first reported by The Post.
John Samuelsen, the transit union’s president, told The Post that the group has spent $60,000 on the initial ad campaign. He said the union’s super PAC is also committing another $120,000 to television ads airing statewide and has mailed “hundreds of thousands” of pieces of literature to New York union households.
“If she wasn’t perpetually attacking trade unions, she wouldn’t be so toxic and maybe other Democrats would be more willing to stand with her,” Samuelsen said.
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State campaign finance filings show that Transport Workers Union Voice has spent more than $450,000 on television advertising since registering with New York officials in July.
Samuelsen’s criticism of Hochul intensified after she vetoed legislation that would have required every subway train to operate with both a conductor and a train operator.
In her veto message, Hochul argued that the measure could cost as much as $10 million a year, potentially reducing service and limiting the MTA’s ability to invest in new trains and signal systems.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman also condemned the veto, saying it “put riders and transit workers at risk” while declaring his support for the union.
The dispute marks a sharp turn in the relationship between Hochul and the transit workers union.
The union and Local 100, which endorsed Hochul in 2022, contributed more than $175,000 to her campaign accounts from 2018 through 2024, according to state records.
A Hochul campaign representative told The Post Sunday that the governor “comes from a union family and has always stood up for workers, created good-paying union jobs, and fought for better pay and working conditions.” The representative added that Hochul is proud to have the backing of more than 30 New York unions, which “can’t trust ‘100% MAGA’ Blakeman to protect their rights, safeguard their healthcare, or bring down their costs.”
