The 2018 New York gubernatorial election occurred on November 6, 2018. Incumbent Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo won a third term, defeating Republican Marc Molinaro and several minor party candidates.
Cuomo defeated actress and activist Cynthia Nixon in the Democratic gubernatorial primary. Cuomo's running mate, Lt. Governor Kathy Hochul, beat New York City councillor Jumaane Williams in the Democratic primary for the lieutenant governorship. Democratic candidates Cuomo and Hochul also ran on the ballot lines of the Independence Party and the Women's Equality Party; after Nixon and Williams withdrew from the race in October, Cuomo and Hochul received the nomination of the Working Families Party as well. Dutchess County Executive and former New York State Assemblymember Marc Molinaro was the Republican, Conservative, and Reform Party candidate. Molinaro's running mate was former Rye City Councilmember Julie Killian.
Cuomo was sworn in for a third term as governor on January 1, 2019. He would announced his resignation from the governorship on August 10, 2021, following sexual harassment allegations and a nursing home scandal that plagued his third term. He officially resigned on August 23.
The 2018 New York gubernatorial election occurred on November 6, 2018. Incumbent Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo won a third term, defeating Republican Marc Molinaro and several minor party candidates.
Cuomo defeated actress and activist Cynthia Nixon in the Democratic gubernatorial primary. Cuomo's running mate, Lt. Governor Kathy Hochul, beat New York City councillor Jumaane Williams in the Democratic primary for the lieutenant governorship. Democratic candidates Cuomo and Hochul also ran on the ballot lines of the Independence Party and the Women's Equality Party; after Nixon and Williams withdrew from the race in October, Cuomo and Hochul received the nomination of the Working Families Party as well. Dutchess County Executive and former New York State Assemblymember Marc Molinaro was the Republican, Conservative, and Reform Party candidate. Molinaro's running mate was former Rye City Councilmember Julie Killian.
Cuomo was sworn in for a third term as governor on January 1, 2019. He would announced his resignation from the governorship on August 10, 2021, following sexual harassment allegations and a nursing home scandal that plagued his third term. He officially resigned on August 23.
Background
Incumbent governor Andrew Cuomo was first elected governor in 2010 and was re-elected in 2014. As of 2018, New York gubernatorial elections operated on a split primary system; candidates for governor and lieutenant governor in each party ran in separate primary elections. In the general election, however, candidates for governor and lieutenant governor formed united tickets within each party. Also, New York allows electoral fusion, in which candidates may appear on multiple ballot lines in the same election.
The results of the gubernatorial election determined ballot access and ballot order. As of 2018, a party's gubernatorial candidate had to receive 50,000 votes or more for that party to obtain automatic ballot status in New York for the following four years. The last Republican to win a gubernatorial election in New York was George Pataki in 2002.
Democratic primary
On November 15, 2016, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced his intention to seek a third term in office. On May 23, 2018, Cuomo secured the nomination of the Democratic Party at its state convention, winning support from more than 95% of the state delegates. No other candidates qualified for the primary ballot at the convention, as they all failed to meet the 25% delegate threshold. Actress and activist Cynthia Nixon sought to petition her way onto the Democratic primary ballot. By July 12, Nixon had obtained 65,000 signatures, which was more than four times the 15,000 signatures needed to force a primary election.
Candidates
Nominee
Andrew Cuomo, governor of New York
Eliminated in primary
Cynthia Nixon, actress and activist
Withdrew
Randy Credico, perennial candidate (endorsed Nixon)
Terry Gipson, former state senator
Declined
Preet Bharara, former United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York
Byron Brown, mayor of Buffalo and chairman of the New York State Democratic Party
Hillary Clinton, 67th US Secretary of State; former U.S. senator from NY; former First Lady of the United States; 2008 Democratic presidential candidate; Democratic nominee for president in 2016 (endorsed Cuomo)
Thomas DiNapoli, Comptroller of New York (ran for reelection)
Kirsten Gillibrand, incumbent U.S. senator from New York (ran for reelection; endorsed Cuomo)
Stephanie Miner, former mayor of Syracuse (declined to seek Democratic Party nomination, ran for governor on the Serve America Movement ticket)
Eric Schneiderman, Attorney General of New York (resigned from public office May 7, 2018, following accusations of domestic violence)
Zephyr Teachout, law professor at Fordham University, candidate for governor in 2014 and nominee for NY-19 in 2016 (endorsed Nixon; ran for attorney general)
Jumaane Williams, member of the NYC Council (endorsed Nixon; ran for lieutenant governor)
Endorsements
Cynthia Nixon
Tom Abinanti, assemblymember
Andrew Hevesi, assemblymember
Brad Lander, NYC Councilmember from the 39th district
Melissa Mark-Viverito, former Speaker of the New York City Council from the 8th district
Jimmy Van Bramer, New York City Council member for the 26th District
El-P, rapper, record producer, and record executive
Bill McKibben, environmentalist
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, nominee for NY-14, educator, political organizer, and former congressional staffer
Sarah Jessica Parker, actress
Julia Salazar, candidate for New York State Senate District 18
Richard Stallman, president of the Free Software Foundation
350 Action
Citizen Action
Daily Kos
Democracy for America
NYC Democratic Socialists
Indivisible Brooklyn
Jim Owles Club
Justice Democrats
Our Revolution
Progressive Change Campaign Committee
Working Families Party
The Nation
Debates and forums
Hofstra University – August 29, 2018 – WCBS-TV
Results
On September 13, 2018, Cuomo defeated Nixon in the Democratic gubernatorial primary.
Lieutenant governor
Nominee
Kathy Hochul, incumbent lieutenant governor of New York
Eliminated in primary
Jumaane Williams, New York City Council member
Results
Incumbent Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul narrowly defeated New York City Councillor Jumaane Williams in the Democratic primary.
Republican primary
On May 23, 2018, the party unanimously nominated Marc Molinaro as its candidate for governor of New York at its state convention. No challengers attempted to petition onto the primary ballot, so no Republican primary took place. Deputy Senate Majority Leader John A. DeFrancisco ran for the Republican nomination, but withdrew his candidacy on April 25, 2018 after party leaders—who had initially given him their support—threw their support to Molinaro instead.
Governor
Candidates
Marc Molinaro, Dutchess County Executive and former member of the New York State Assembly
Running mate: Julie Killian, former Rye city councilwoman and state senate nominee
John A. DeFrancisco, Deputy Majority Leader of the New York State Senate
Joel Giambra, former Erie County Executive
Joe Holland, former commissioner of the New York Department of Housing and Community Renewal (ran for Attorney General instead)
Brian Kolb, Minority Leader of the New York State Assembly
Rob Astorino, former Westchester County Executive and Republican nominee for governor in 2014
John P. Cahill, former commissioner of the New York Department of Environmental Conservation; former chief of staff to Governor George Pataki; Republican nominee for attorney general in 2014
John J. Flanagan, Majority Leader of the New York State Senate
Chris Gibson, former U.S. representative
Carl Paladino, former member of the Buffalo Public Schools Board of Education and nominee for governor in 2010
Donald Trump Jr., businessman and son of U.S. president Donald Trump
Harry Wilson, businessman and nominee for State Comptroller in 2010
Endorsements
John DeFrancisco (withdrew)
John Katko, U.S. representative
Fred Akshar, New York state senator
George Amedore, New York state senator
John Bonacic, New York state senator
Phil Boyle, New York state senator
Tom Croci, New York state senator
John J. Flanagan, Majority Leader of the New York State Senate
Rich Funke, New York state senator
Patrick M. Gallivan, New York state senator
Joseph Griffo, New York state senator
Bill Larkin, New York state senator
Kathy Marchione, New York state senator
Rob Ortt, New York state senator
Mike Ranzenhofer, New York state senator
Patty Ritchie, New York state senator
Joseph Robach, New York state senator
Sue Serino, New York state senator
James Seward, New York state senator
Jim Tedisco, New York state senator
Cathy Young, New York state senator
Jacqueline Izzo, mayor of Rome
Todd A. Rouse, former mayor of Canastota and chairman of the Madison County Republican Committee
Rodney Strange, Chemung County Legislator and chairman of the Chemung County Republican Committee
Albany County Republican Committee
Broome County Republican Committee
Cattaraugus County Republican Committee
Chenango County Republican Committee
Delaware County Republican Committee
Jefferson County Republican Committee
Lewis County Republican Committee
Madison County Republican Committee
Montgomery County Republican Committee
Niagara County Republican Committee
Oneida County Republican Committee
Onondaga County Conservative Committee
Onondaga County Republican Committee
Tioga County Republican Committee
Brian Kolb (withdrew)
Ronald Castorina, New York State Assemblyman and chairman of the Richmond County Republican Committee
Nicole Malliotakis, New York State Assemblywoman and 2017 Republican nominee for Mayor of New York City
Bob Oaks, New York State Assemblyman and chairman of the Wayne County Republican Committee
Bill Reilich, Town Supervisor of Greece, former New York State Assemblyman and chairman of the Monroe County Republican Committee
Allegany County Republican Committee
Clinton County Republican Committee
Livingston County Republican Committee
Monroe County Republican Committee
Ontario County Republican Committee
Richmond County Republican Committee
Schuyler County Republican Committee
Seneca County Republican Committee
Steuben County Republican Committee
Wayne County Republican Committee
Yates County Republican Committee
Independent and third-party candidates
Third parties with automatic ballot access
In addition to the Democratic and Republican Parties, six other political parties had automatic ballot access; all six chose to exercise it. In order of ballot appearance, those parties are:
Conservative Party of New York State: On April 13, 2018, in what party chairman Michael R. Long termed a "not very easy" decision, the Conservative Party Executive Committee selected Marc Molinaro over Deputy Senate Majority Leader John A. DeFrancisco as its gubernatorial endorsee.
Nominee: Marc Molinaro
Green Party of New York: On April 12, 2018, Howie Hawkins, after initially implying after the 2014 election that he would not seek the office again, launched his third consecutive campaign for the position, his 21st campaign for public office.
Nominee: Howie Hawkins, party co-founder and perennial candidate
Running mate: Jia Lee, United Federation of Teachers chapter leader and public school teacher
Working Families Party: On April 14, 2018, by a 91–8 margin, the Working Families Party endorsed Cynthia Nixon as its gubernatorial candidate, with Jumaane Williams as her running mate. The endorsement came after the labor unions that formed part of Cuomo's political machine, who were able to force the party to nominate Cuomo instead of Zephyr Teachout in 2014, withdrew from the party, and Cuomo declined to seek the party's line. On September 13, 2018, after being defeated by Cuomo in the Democratic primary, Nixon declined to say whether she would continue to run for governor on the Working Families Party line. On October 3, the Working Families Party offered Cuomo and Hochul their party's ballot line. Cuomo and Hochul accepted that offer on October 5.
Nominee: Andrew Cuomo (replacing the withdrawn Cynthia Nixon)
Running mate: Kathy Hochul (replacing the withdrawn Jumaane Williams)
Independence Party of New York: On December 23, 2017, the party endorsed incumbent governor Andrew Cuomo for the third consecutive election cycle.
Nominee: Andrew Cuomo
Women's Equality Party: The party endorsed Cuomo for re-election, as the party remained allied with the Cuomo campaign.
Nominee: Andrew Cuomo
Reform Party of New York State: On May 19, after the party's executive committee deadlocked between Marc Molinaro and Joel Giambra in April, delegates at the Reform Party state convention nominated Republican frontrunner Molinaro for governor.
Nominee: Marc Molinaro
Independent candidates and third parties without automatic ballot access
Any candidate not among the eight qualified New York political parties (Democratic, Republican, Conservative, Green, Working Families, Independence, Women's Equality and Reform, respectively) was required to submit petitions to gain ballot access. Such candidates did not face primary elections. At the time, third parties whose respective gubernatorial candidates received at least 50,000 votes in the general election secured automatic ballot access in all state and federal elections through the 2022 elections, but due to a 2020 law to change the requirements, four parties lost that access in 2020 (Libertarian, Independence, Working Families, Serve America Movement).
Libertarian Party
On July 12, 2017, Larry Sharpe, business consultant and runner-up in the 2016 Libertarian Party vice presidential primary, officially announced that he would run for governor of New York in 2018. Sharpe was the first person to announce his candidacy to run against incumbent governor Andrew Cuomo. On August 19, 2018, the Libertarian Party announced it had collected over 30,000 signatures to place its ticket onto the November ballot. Sharpe's petitions survived a petition challenge.
Nominee: Larry Sharpe, business consultant and runner-up in the 2016 Libertarian Party vice presidential primary
Running mate: Andrew Hollister, candidate for Rochester City Council in 2017