Kathy Hochul wants you to believe she’s just a “mom from Buffalo” taking on the big, bad Trump machine. But don’t be fooled — this is a governor who’s been in office long enough to rack up a mountain of failures, and now she’s trying to slap a new label on herself before voters show her the door in 2026.
In a brand-new digital ad launched this week, Hochul is trying to hit the reset button on her image. She’s not just the governor of New York anymore — she’s a “tough mom” who’s willing to “take on Trump.” That’s the pitch. The ad kicks off with snowy shots of Buffalo, her hometown, and quickly pivots to clips of Hochul giving speeches, arguing in Congress, and puffing up her so-called resistance to President Trump.
Let’s be clear: This isn’t about being a mom. This is about politics. Hochul is trying to tap into that kitchen-table vibe, hoping voters forget what her leadership has actually looked like — soaring crime, sky-high taxes, and a mass exodus of people fleeing New York because they can’t afford to live there anymore. But sure, roll out the “mom from Buffalo” routine and hope no one asks about the mess in Albany.
Hochul’s ad highlights her “fight” against Trump’s policies — particularly on immigration — including a moment where she told former ICE director Tom Homan that he “can’t intimidate a governor.” She even compares Trump to a king, claiming he’s trying to rule over New York like it’s his personal kingdom. Dramatic much?
She’s trying to make it sound like she’s standing up for families, but you know who’s really hurting under her leadership? New York families. The same folks she claims to fight for are the ones getting crushed by her policies. We’re talking about parents who can’t afford groceries because inflation keeps climbing. We’re talking about small business owners drowning in taxes and regulations. And yes, we’re talking about neighborhoods that don’t feel safe anymore because Hochul rolled over for soft-on-crime policies.
But here’s the thing — Hochul knows she’s in trouble. That’s why she’s launching this ad now, more than a year before Election Day. She’s already gearing up for a head-to-head battle with Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, and she knows Stefanik has the momentum. Even though neither woman has officially won her primary yet, the fight is already on.
Stefanik’s team didn’t hesitate to clap back. Her senior adviser, Alex deGrasse, called Hochul’s new ad a “desperate rebranding” attempt and laid out the facts: under Hochul, New Yorkers are dealing with an affordability crisis, an energy crisis, and a crime crisis. And he’s right — no amount of slick ads can erase that record.
Hochul’s team, of course, is throwing out their own insults, calling Stefanik “Sellout Stefanik” for supporting Trump’s tariffs and other economic policies. But let’s face it — Trump’s America-first trade policies helped protect American jobs, while Hochul’s big-government agenda has made it harder to run a business in New York than ever before.
And if all that weren’t enough, Hochul is now jumping into the redistricting fight. She’s trying to block Republican-drawn maps in Texas and may push for changes in New York’s congressional districts to favor Democrats — even though the state constitution bans mid-decade redrawing. So much for playing by the rules.
Meanwhile, she’s teaming up with California’s Gavin Newsom, the king of lockdowns and high taxes, trying to build a blue wall against Trump’s reforms. That’s the team she’s rolling with — not moms and middle-class families, but elite liberals who are terrified of losing power.
So don’t be fooled by the cozy “mom from Buffalo” vibes. This ad is a smoke screen. Hochul’s not fighting for you — she’s fighting for her political survival. And come 2026, voters might just remind her what real toughness looks like.