New York’s Opportunity to Advance Two Great Choices to the General Election for Governor

Voting is underway (photo: Michael Appleton/Mayor’s Business)

New York is at a crossroad. Our condition faces numerous issues, which includes a resurgent virus, increasing gun violence, and political turmoil. We require a Governor who is up to all those difficulties, who can make consensus in addressing them, who can restore ethics and integrity and honesty to our point out govt, and who can make us proud again.

Luckily, there are such candidates jogging on both of those sides of the aisle. That is why Citizens Union, the place I am Chair of the Board, prefers Kathy Hochul in the Democratic most important and Harry Wilson in the Republican major for Governor.

For 125 several years, Citizens Union, New York’s preeminent, non-partisan “superior authorities” group, has been endorsing point out and regional candidates who share its mission of advertising honesty, integrity, ethics, accessibility, transparency, and accountability in federal government. In 2020, due to the fact our democracy was actually at stake, we even selected for the initially time in our record to endorse in a U.S. presidential race, recommending Joe Biden around Donald Trump.

And the moment once more, this year, the stakes are large for New York, increasing the significance of voters’ choices.

Governor Kathy Hochul stands out in a potent Democratic discipline. She assumed the workplace underneath daunting situations, with covid raging and the point out engulfed in a political scandal that forced yet yet another New York governor to resign in shame.

Given that then, Hochul has established to be an efficient consensus-builder. A single of her to start with claims was to “change the society of Albany,” and she in truth brought a new design of governing that was sorely needed. Her collaborative solution authorized her to make solid performing associations with the Point out Legislature and New York City’s Mayor, a rarity in New York. And she has assembled a specialist group of focused general public servants to help her reach her agenda.

Hochul has also taken actions to progress authorities ethics reforms that had no probability of shifting forward in the former administration, like restructuring the state’s ethics watchdogs. She has signed laws and dedicated to pursuing procedures to bolster New York’s democracy, together with modernizing the state’s antiquated election administration method and supporting a community campaign finance software.

But there are difficulties in advance, like reducing criminal offense, repairing the troubles with bail reform, avoiding potential gerrymandering, and shielding a woman’s appropriate to pick out. And there is extra to be carried out to be transparent and manage the community have confidence in. (Hochul admits, for example, she could have performed a greater occupation disclosing the program to fund the Buffalo Bills stadium undertaking.) She is discovering on the task and proving to be a rapid analyze. She understands the difficulties and seems poised to tackle them.

Hochul’s Democratic challengers bring vastly distinct activities to the race. Tom Suozzi, who has distinguished himself as a Congressman and Nassau County Govt, acquired support from some Citizens Union board members for his tested record of achievements as a authorities govt, his pragmatic tactic, and his concentration on community protection. Jumaane Williams, New York City’s General public Advocate, has been a tireless advocate for progressive brings about. But it is Hochul who has crafted a broad coalition and risen above the industry.

Harry Wilson is by far the class of the Republican major area. An outsider who wants to clean up up Albany, he has a confirmed track file of good results in business as a turnaround professional, a little something that our state certainly requirements.

He was one of the leaders of President Obama’s car marketplace rescue activity force throughout the Financial Disaster and afterwards mounted a quite credible race for Condition Comptroller, which he pretty much gained.

Wilson brings a refreshing standpoint to managing point out govt and tackling its dysfunctions. Ethics reform is a top priority for him – he introduced his marketing campaign system with a federal government reform and accountability approach – and he has established to be a man or woman of the greatest integrity and an unbiased voice who speaks the real truth to electrical power within his individual celebration.

Though he differs from Citizens Union on some major challenges, these types of as community marketing campaign financing, Wilson has shown a willingness to cross the aisle and perform collaboratively. For case in point, he would manage New York regulation shielding a woman’s proper to pick out. In limited, he would be a formidable candidate in the basic election.

The other candidates looking for the Republican nomination for Governor — Lee Zeldin, Andrew Giuliani, and Rob Astorino – all go on to comply with Donald Trump’s lead and spread misinformation about the validity of the 2020 presidential election. That by itself should be disqualifying. You will find appropriate, and there is incorrect. And at this fragile time in our democracy, they are simply just wrong. Harry Wilson speaks the reality, and that is why he is Citizens Union’s preference in the Republican most important.

As the primaries are resolved in the coming days, we urge all eligible New York voters to do their civic duty, workout their right to vote, and give by themselves terrific selections for the basic election to guide our state.

***
Randy Mastro is the Chair of Citizens Union’s board and a husband or wife in the law organization of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher.

Take note: Gotham Gazette is an independent publication of Citizens Union Basis, sister corporation of Citizens Union.