Gov. Kathy Hochul Refuses to Back Striking New York Nurses
Unlike Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Gov. Kathy Hochul has not backed striking New York nurses, tepidly calling on “both sides” to negotiate. Her position may have to do with the hefty donations state Democrats have received from the New York hospital association.
Since day one of the New York nurse strike, Kathy Hochul has tweeted many more times about her beloved Buffalo Bills than about nurses’ fight for patient safety. And unlike Zohran Mamdani and Bernie Sanders, she has stayed far away from the picket line.(Heather Ainsworth / Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Unlike Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Governor Kathy Hochul has remained far away from the front lines of the nurses strike. Since day one, she has tweeted far more times about her beloved Buffalo Bills. Her tepid calls for negotiations show far less passion.
Ideologically, Hochul is not troubled by the enormous salary disparities between nurses and hospital CEOs. As Bernie Sanders highlighted at a January 20 rally, the CEOs of the three hospital networks facing strikes make an average of $16 million per year. Despite the 1 percent’s upcoming windfall from Donald Trump’s tax cuts, the governor is nonetheless resisting Mamdani and New York City Democratic Socialists of America (NYC-DSA)’s demand to share the wealth. When crowds chant “Tax the rich!” she hears “Let’s Go Bills.”
Hochul’s position on the strike also may be influenced by practical considerations. The Greater New York Hospital Association (GNYHA) is a historically large donor to the state Democratic Party. In 2025, GNYHA dropped over $2 million into Dem campaign coffers.
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