NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Gov. Kathy Hochul released a new campaign ad on Tuesday, a week after her lieutenant governor was arrested on federal charges, and as the June Democratic primary fast approaches.
The 30-second spot opens with a shot of an illuminated New York State Capitol as a narrator says, “It’s late at night and a light is on in the governor’s office. Kathy Hochul is hard at work, and it shows.”
The ad boasts that since taking office, Hochul has passed over 400 new bills, cracked down on illegal guns, invested in public schools and cut taxes for the middle class.
“Kathy Hochul, a governor who works as hard as you do,” the narrator says.
The ad is part of a “planned eight-figure media buy,” according to Hochul’s campaign, which said in January that it had raised over $21 million since she took office last August following former Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s resignation over sexual harassment allegations, accusations he denies.
Hochul will face off against Long Island Rep. Tom Suozzi and NYC Public Advocate Jumaane Williams in the June 28 primary. Cuomo is not on the ballot.
Noticeably absent from Hochul's new ad is her former lieutenant governor, Brian Benjamin, who resigned last Tuesday after he was arrested on multiple charges including bribery, fraud, conspiracy and falsification of records.
Benjamin is free on $250,000 bail after he pleaded not guilty last Tuesday. He made his first court appearance Monday to face allegations he promised to trade his political influence for a real estate developer’s campaign contributions.
His resignation has created a political crisis for Hochul, who pledged to restore order to Albany after Cuomo’s resignation.
Suozzi seized on the issue in his first joint ad released Monday with running mate Diana Reyna.
“Secretive budgets, billion-dollar tax giveaways to friends, and now Gov. Hochul’s handpicked lieutenant governor arrested for bribery,” Suozzi says in the ad.
Reyna adds: “This election is a choice between the same old Albany corruption and new leadership New Yorkers can trust.”
“We’ll work for the people, not the insiders,” Suozzi says.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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