BUFFALO, N.Y. — Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul find herself creating two teams at once.
She wants more than 16 months as governor when she takes the office this coming Tuesday. (This is after Andrew Cuomo’s resignation becomes official.) She has disclosed she will run for a full term in 2022.
But because Hochul has had just eight days since Cuomo announced he would be stepping down, the soon-to-be chief executive of state government has been busily putting together her administration.
Wednesday in Queens, Hochul told reporters, “I need the time to continue interviews, listening to people, getting peoples’ opinions, and putting together the dream team to run the state of New York into the future.”
How much more time? Hochul says she expects the process to go another month or so after she becomes governor.
“I’m going to take the time to use this 45-day period. I have relationships with all of the commissioners. I’m no stranger to any of them,” Hochul said.
While putting together her administration, Hochul must also assemble a team to run her statewide campaign for governor. A fundraiser was held for Hochul at Fontana’s Grove in West Seneca on Wednesday night. The amounts of money expected to be raised was not disclosed, but running for Governor typically takes millions.
In her last campaign finance report, Hochul had raised about $1.7 million.
Also on Wednesday, a poll was released by a Missouri firm named co/efficient.
In a theoretical Democratic gubernatorial primary among Hochul, Attorney General Letitia James and New York City Mayor Bill di Blasio, Hochul came out on top with 28% of likely primary voters. James had 25%. Di Blasio trailed with just 5%, but 43% were unsure or preferred another candidate.
The same likely primary voters were also asked their opinion about Hochul; 42% said they had a favorable opinion of her. A larger group of people, 48% of those questioned, said they were unsure about Hochul.
To political analyst and blogger Ken Kruly, this presents an opportunity for Hochul to define herself to voters not familiar with her.
“I think they’re going to be pleasantly surprised when they compare her with Andrew Cuomo, but she’s going to have to produce and show substance to go along with that,” Kruly said.