Since Governor Kathy Hochul endorsed New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani in September, the unlikely allies have presented a united front. That dynamic continued during and after Hochul’s annual State of the State speech Tuesday, which laid out an agenda that had significant overlap with Mamdani’s campaign promises — but also key differences.
Mamdani campaigned on making child care universal and free in New York City. On Tuesday, Hochul reiterated her pledges to put billions of dollars toward child care for children as young as 2 in the city, and expand child care vouchers and pre-K funding across the state.
Mamdani, who as an assemblymember often criticized Hochul, hailed her after the speech for “transforming the lives” of New York City’s children and “making our state affordable for thousands of parents.”…