The file

Kathy Hochul

Democratic · Governor of New York · New York · Spectrum score -45

Governor ·

Kathy Hochul is Governor of New York in New York. Political positions and ideology score -45 (Left). Hochul is the accidental governor.

College: Syracuse University, B.A. 1980 · Catholic University Columbus School of Law, J.D. 1983
Spouse: William Hochul (m. 1984)
Children: Two
Résumé: Governor of New York · 2021–
Lieutenant Governor of New York · 2015–2021
U.S. Representative · New York-26 · 2011–2013

Net worth: $8.0M
Salary: $250,000
Before office: $2.0M
2026 raised: —
Years in office: 19

Where Kathy stands on the spectrum

Kathy Hochul scores -45 on Spectrum’s left–right line (left), left of center on the economy and progressive on social issues. The number is modeled from twelve issue positions and the public record — not a poll and not a party label.

Composite -45 · Left · economic -51 · social -45 · authoritarian -17

Confidence 83. How we calculate scores →

Background & record

Hochul is the accidental governor. The file is a Buffalo Democrat whose household sits in the Albany influence economy, a congestion-pricing war that is really a class war, and a 2026 that New York Democrats would rather not think about.

Finances

Modeled midpoints from public disclosures — not an audit of any household.

Net worth

$8.0M

+300% since taking office

Disclosure midpoint, 2025

Before office$2.0M

Now$8.0M

Husband Bill’s Albany-and-land use world is the household story the tabloids like. Buffalo to the second floor.

Money in · 2026 cycle

Raised: $0
Cash on hand: $0

Top industries

Real estate
Lawyers
Unions
Finance

Stock holdings

Index / retirement funds

Buffalo plus a spouse in the Albany influence world. Funds here; land-use is the other tab.

Disclosure midpoint, 2024–25 · STOCK Act ranges, not an audit

VTI
Vanguard Total Stock Market
Joint
$500K–$2.0M
VXUS
Vanguard Total International
Joint
$150K–$600K

Ticker	Name	Owner	Range
VTI	Vanguard Total Stock Market	Joint	$500K–$2.0M
VXUS	Vanguard Total International	Joint	$150K–$600K

Sum of ranges $650K–$2.6M · midpoint $1.6M

X sentiment

Last 7 days

Odds

Polymarket · Kalshi

Implied probability from open contracts. Real money, not a poll. Updates while you sit here.

Live wire

Live · checked just now

New articles land here as they publish. Checking about every 12 seconds.

Conflicts

Bill Hochul’s clients and the land-use fights.
Congestion pricing as a donor-class split in her own coalition.

Issue detail

−100 left pole · +100 right pole

Economic: -51
Social: -45
Authoritarian: -17
Confidence: 83

Taxes & spending-44
Higher taxes on high earners, larger public budget
Health care-60
Public or single-payer coverage as a right
Climate & energy-56
Aggressive climate rules and fossil-fuel phase-down
Business regulation-48
Stronger antitrust, labor, and consumer rules
Labor & wages-46
Unions, higher minimum wage, worker power
Immigration-40
A broader legal path, less interior enforcement
Abortion-72
Legal access, opposed to bans
Guns-64
Licensing, assault-weapon limits, red-flag laws
Crime & policing-10
Reform, diversion, less incarceration
Schools & speech-48
Public-school investment, DEI frameworks
Defense & alliances-14
Diplomacy-first, smaller overseas footprint
Civil liberties-28
Privacy, speech, limits on surveillance and bans

No roll-call first dimension on file — issues only.

Compass

Auth · leftAuth · rightLib · leftLib · rightAuthoritarianLibertarianEconomic leftEconomic right

Sources

State record
Wealth and fundraising are modeled midpoints from public disclosures — not an audit.
College, family, and résumé are public-record facts, not a campaign bio.