New York Governor 2026: the ads, and who's paying for them
Kathy Hochul (Democrat) and Bruce Blakeman (Republican) are the candidates for governor of New York in the November 3, 2026 general election. Kathy Hochul is the incumbent. Semblen has analyzed 76 ads in this race; 44 used at least one manipulation technique, most often loaded language and name calling.
Kathy Hochul (DEM, incumbent), Bruce Blakeman (REP).
On the ballot as listed by Ballotpedia. 76 ads analyzed, 44 with at least one technique in the copy.
Newest first. The paid-for-by line is the advertiser's own filing. Updated 2026-10-08.
42 of 74 (57%) flagged · Loaded Language (31), Name Calling (21), Appeal to Fear (17)
YouTube
2 of 2 flagged · Bandwagon Appeal (2), Appeal to Fear (1), Appeal to Prejudice (1)
Reported Meta spend
$333,300–432,067 on all ads, $196,300–251,366 on flagged ads · Meta reports ranges; these are the sums of their ends
Example
“High Taxes, Rising Utility Rates” — Loaded Language, paid for by Blakeman for New York
· the flagged ad with the highest reported spend that shows the most common technique
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A small box with these findings and the newest ads, updated as new ads are analyzed. Free for newsrooms, blogs and campaigns alike; it links back here.
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Each side is the campaign plus the groups backing it. How a group is placed is explained below the table.
Side
Ads
With at least one technique
Most common
Hochul (D)
18
7 of 18 (39%)
Loaded Language (6), Name Calling (5), Appeal to Fear (2)
All from the campaign; no ads here from groups placed on this side.
Blakeman (R)
33
20 of 33 (61%)
Loaded Language (12), Glittering Generalities (10), Appeal to Fear (7)
All from the campaign; no ads here from groups placed on this side.
Not placed on a side (15 sponsors)
25
17 of 25 (68%)
Loaded Language (13), Name Calling (11), Appeal to Fear (9)
Read this before comparing the sides. Ads that attack an opponent use these techniques far more often than ads that introduce a candidate, whoever runs them, so the side running more attack ads shows a higher share. A technique is about wording, not about whether an ad is true. These are online ads only (Meta and YouTube), not television.
How a group is placed: by its own filings with the Federal Election Commission. A group is with a candidate when it reported spending to support that candidate, or to oppose the other one in the general election. The parties' own committees are with their nominee. Spending against a candidate in a primary places a group nowhere, and neither does our reading of its ads: a group with no such filing is listed as not placed. The sponsor table gives the reason for each.
Decide what counts
Not everyone would call every technique manipulation. Untick the ones you'd call ordinary persuasion and the count updates.
58% of the 76 ads here use at least one of the techniques ticked below (44 ads).
Leaving out the softer ones (loaded language, glittering generalities, slogans, exaggeration, repetition): 49% of ads.
The words doing the work
The words that show up most in phrases our model flagged as loaded language or name calling in this race's ads, by number of ads.
billin 5 ads· e.g. “skyrocketing utility bills”, “skyrocketing electric bills”
MAGAin 5 ads· e.g. “MAGA extremism”, “New York MAGA extremism”
policyin 4 ads· e.g. “pro-criminal policies”, “destructive anti-energy policies”
criminalin 3 ads· e.g. “Hochul's New York: were criminals roam free”, “criminals roam free”
hochul'in 3 ads· e.g. “Hochul's New York: were criminals roam free”, “Kathy Hochul's fraud and abuse”
pro-criminalin 3 ads· e.g. “pro-criminal policies”, “most pro-criminal governor in America”
worst governorin 3 ads· e.g. “WORST Governor in America”, “the worst Governor in America”
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Money in this race
Candidates for governor report their fundraising to New York's state campaign-finance office, not the FEC. This page doesn't cover those reports yet, so it shows no money figures.
The ads
76 ads, newest first. Video transcripts are shown as the model read them, without caption cues like [music].
Showing the 31 ads paid for by Blakeman for New York. Show all 76 ads
Paid for by Blakeman for New Yorkfrom 2026-10-07spend $3,000–3,499250,000–299,999 impressions
Zohran Mamdani used the anniversary of October 7 to attack Israel, and Kathy Hochul continues to enable him. New Yorkers deserve leaders who will stand up against antisemitism, not excuse it. We must never forget the innocent lives lost on October 7.
Loaded Language: The word 'enable' carries a strong negative connotation, implying Hochul is complicit in harmful behavior — for example: 'enable him'
Name Calling: Mamdani is characterized as someone who 'attacks' Israel on a solemn anniversary, framing him as an aggressor without addressing the substance of his statements — for example: 'used the anniversary of October 7 to attack Israel'
Black-and-White Fallacy: Presents only two options for leaders: either stand up against antisemitism or excuse it, leaving no room for nuanced positions — for example: 'stand up against antisemitism, not excuse it'
Appeal to Prejudice: Invokes 'New Yorkers' as an in-group identity to pressure alignment with the author's political position — for example: 'New Yorkers deserve leaders'
Appeal to Fear: Invokes the memory of innocent victims to create an emotional imperative that discourages critical examination of the preceding political claims — for example: 'We must never forget the innocent lives lost on October 7'
Loaded Language
Name Calling
Black-and-White Fallacy
Appeal to Prejudice
Appeal to Fear
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Bandwagon Appeal: Implies that Democrats broadly are already voting for the speaker, creating a sense of crowd momentum to pressure others to follow — for example: Democrats are voting for me
Glittering Generalities: Uses vague, emotionally positive terms like 'real leadership' and 'safety' without specifying any concrete policies or plans — for example: real leadership and safety
Bandwagon Appeal
Glittering Generalities
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Appeal to Fear: Implies that continuing the current situation will cause financial harm to families, creating anxiety to motivate action — for example: 'can't afford more of the same'
False Urgency: The word 'finally' implies that action is overdue and must happen now, creating artificial pressure to act — for example: 'finally make New York affordable'
Glittering Generalities: The phrase 'make New York affordable' is a vague, emotionally positive promise with no specific policy substance — for example: 'make New York affordable'
Name Calling: Singling out 'Hochul' by name as the target to 'defeat' frames her as the enemy without addressing specific arguments or policies — for example: 'defeat Hochul'
Appeal to Fear
False Urgency
Glittering Generalities
Name Calling
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
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Paid for by Blakeman for New Yorkfrom 2026-10-05spend $10,000–14,999450,000–499,999 impressions
Kathy Hochul is the WORST Governor in America, and this November we have the chance to fire her. Under Hochul, New York ranks 50th in economic development, our utility bills are 70% higher than the national average, and her pro-criminal policies have made our communities less safe. If you’re tired of paying more, feeling less safe, and watching New York fall behind, vote for me, Bruce Blakeman, this November. Let’s take our state back.
Loaded Language: The superlative 'WORST' (capitalized for emphasis) is an emotionally charged label designed to trigger a strong negative reaction rather than convey measured analysis — for example: WORST Governor in America and pro-criminal policies.
Exaggeration/Hyperbole: Claiming someone is the absolute worst of all 50 governors is an extreme superlative that goes beyond what evidence typically supports — for example: the WORST Governor in America
False Urgency: The phrase 'this November we have the chance to fire her' creates artificial time pressure implying a narrow, fleeting window to act — for example: this November we have the chance to fire her
Card Stacking: Verified statistics (50th in economic development, 70% higher utility bills) are placed alongside the unverified loaded claim 'pro-criminal policies have made our communities less safe' without qualification, implying all claims carry equal evidentiary weight — for example: her pro-criminal policies have made our communities less safe
Appeal to Fear: The claim that policies 'have made our communities less safe' is designed to provoke anxiety about personal safety to drive a voting decision — for example: made our communities less safe and feeling less safe, and watching New York fall behind.
Bandwagon Appeal: The framing assumes a shared collective frustration ('if you're tired') to imply widespread agreement and pressure the reader to conform by voting — for example: If you're tired of paying more, feeling less safe
Glittering Generalities: The phrase 'take our state back' is a vague, emotionally resonant rallying cry implying reclamation of something noble without specifying what was lost or how it will be restored — for example: Let's take our state back
Appeal to Prejudice: The inclusive 'our' in 'take our state back' invokes an in-group identity implying the current leadership is an outsider or usurper, exploiting us-vs-them sentiment — for example: take our state back
Loaded Language
Exaggeration/Hyperbole
False Urgency
Card Stacking
Appeal to Fear
Bandwagon Appeal
Glittering Generalities
Appeal to Prejudice
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by Blakeman for New Yorkfrom 2026-10-05spend $10,000–14,9991,000,000+ impressions
Under Hochul, overall crime is up 22%. That's her record.
In Nassau, I hired over 900 new law enforcement officers and made it the safest county in America.
Exaggeration/Hyperbole: The claim that Nassau is 'the safest county in America' is an absolute superlative that is likely an overstatement not supported by verified data — for example: 'the safest county in America'
Exaggeration/Hyperbole
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by Blakeman for New Yorkfrom 2026-10-05spend $200–29910,000–14,999 impressions
New York families are tired of higher taxes, rising utility bills, growing crime, and a government that has lost sight of the people it serves.
That's why this race is so important, and why every conversation and every supporter matters. We're now just 4 points away, and every door knock and every conversation brings us closer.
Together, we can restore public safety, lower the cost of living, and make New York more affordable.
I'm ready to lead that fight, and I hope you'll stand with me.
Loaded Language: The sentence uses emotionally charged phrases to evoke frustration and resentment toward government — for example: 'a government that has lost sight of the people it serves'
Appeal to Fear: The cumulative list of threats — taxes, utility bills, crime, and government failure — is designed to create anxiety and a sense of crisis among readers — for example: 'higher taxes, rising utility bills, growing crime'
Bandwagon Appeal: The phrase 'New York families are tired' implies a broad collective consensus to pressure agreement with the stated grievances — for example: 'New York families are tired'
Glittering Generalities: The sentence uses vague, emotionally positive promises ('public safety', 'affordable') that sound noble and appealing but lack any specific policy substance — for example: 'restore public safety'
Loaded Language
Appeal to Fear
Bandwagon Appeal
Glittering Generalities
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by Blakeman for New Yorkfrom 2026-10-05spend $7,000–7,999250,000–299,999 impressions
The highest taxes in the country. Utility rates 70% above the national average.
Crime is surging under the most pro-criminal governor in America. New Yorkers are drowning, and Kathy Hochul doesn't care.
As governor, I will cut your utility rates in half, slash your taxes, and create more jobs with higher wages.
More money in your pocket. More freedom in your life. That's the New York I'm fighting for.
Loaded Language: The phrase 'pro-criminal' is an emotionally charged label designed to trigger a negative reaction rather than convey factual information about policy — for example: most pro-criminal governor in America and New Yorkers are drowning.
Name Calling: 'Pro-criminal governor' is a derogatory label applied to Kathy Hochul to discredit her rather than address specific policies — for example: 'most pro-criminal governor'
Exaggeration/Hyperbole: The superlative claim 'most pro-criminal governor in America' is an extreme overstatement unsupported by evidence — for example: 'most pro-criminal governor in America'
Appeal to Fear: The image of citizens 'drowning' while their governor 'doesn't care' creates anxiety and a sense of abandonment to override rational evaluation of policy — for example: 'New Yorkers are drowning, and Kathy Hochul doesn't care'
Glittering Generalities: Vague promise of financial benefit with no specific policy or mechanism described — for example: More money in your pocket, More freedom in your life and That's the New York I'm fighting for.
Loaded Language
Name Calling
Exaggeration/Hyperbole
Appeal to Fear
Glittering Generalities
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Glittering Generalities: The phrase uses vague, emotionally positive language about fighting for a place without specifying any concrete policy or action — for example: 'fight for New York'
Glittering Generalities
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by Blakeman for New Yorkfrom 2026-10-01 to 2026-10-08spend $30,000–34,9991,000,000+ impressions
Kathy Hochul's High Taxes, Rising Utility Rates and plan for $4,000 a Year in Higher Electric, Heating and Gas Bills. It's insane.
In Nassau County, I cut property taxes by $150 million to keep money where it belongs: in your pocket.
As Governor, I will eliminate income taxes on your first $100,000 of income, slash utility bills in half, and deliver real property tax relief to make New York affordable.
Loaded Language: The phrase 'High Taxes' and 'Rising Utility Rates' are emotionally charged framings designed to trigger negative reactions rather than neutrally describe policy — for example: 'High Taxes, Rising Utility Rates'
Exaggeration/Hyperbole: The specific figure of '$4,000 a Year in Higher Electric, Heating and Gas Bills' is presented as a definitive outcome without qualification or sourcing, overstating certainty — for example: '$4,000 a Year in Higher Electric, Heating and Gas Bills'
Appeal to Fear: The sentence stacks multiple financial burdens (high taxes, rising utility rates, $4,000 increase) to create anxiety about economic harm to ordinary households — for example: 'High Taxes, Rising Utility Rates and plan for $4,000 a Year in Higher Electric, Heating and Gas Bills'
Loaded Language
Exaggeration/Hyperbole
Appeal to Fear
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by Blakeman for New Yorkfrom 2026-09-29 to 2026-10-05spend $9,000–9,9991,000,000+ impressions
Kathy Hochul has made New York completely unaffordable, driving up electric bills by 50%. We now pay 70% more than the rest of the country.
In Nassau County, I cut property taxes by $150 million to ensure more money in your pocket.
As Governor, I will eliminate income taxes on your first $100,000 of income, slash utility bills in half, and deliver real property tax relief to make New York affordable.
Loaded Language: The word 'completely' paired with 'unaffordable' is an emotionally charged absolute that overstates the situation — for example: 'completely unaffordable'
Scapegoating: The sentence attributes the entire affordability crisis in New York solely to one individual, ignoring systemic, market, and policy complexity — for example: 'Kathy Hochul has made New York completely unaffordable'
Exaggeration/Hyperbole: Claiming one person has made an entire state 'completely' unaffordable is an extreme overstatement beyond what evidence could support — for example: 'completely unaffordable'
Appeal to Prejudice: The use of 'we' frames the audience as a unified in-group being collectively harmed, reinforcing an us-vs-them dynamic — for example: 'We now pay 70% more than the rest of the country'
Loaded Language
Scapegoating
Exaggeration/Hyperbole
Appeal to Prejudice
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Glittering Generalities: The sentence uses vague, emotionally positive values ('affordability', 'safe communities', 'trusting women') as rhetorical identity markers without any specific policy substance — for example: 'safe communities'
Glittering Generalities
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by Blakeman for New Yorkfrom 2026-09-28 to 2026-10-02spend $15,000–19,999400,000–449,999 impressions
Kathy Hochul has her priorities backward.
While hard-working New Yorkers struggle with skyrocketing electric bills, high rent, and public safety, her policies continue to put criminals and illegal migrants first.
New York deserves leadership that puts law-abiding citizens first!
Loaded Language: The phrase implies Hochul is fundamentally misguided or incompetent without providing evidence, using charged framing to discredit her — for example: priorities backward
Appeal to Prejudice: The phrase 'hard-working New Yorkers' constructs an in-group of virtuous, deserving residents implicitly contrasted against an out-group of 'criminals and illegal migrants' — for example: hard-working New Yorkers
Scapegoating: Complex policy failures and cost-of-living issues are blamed on a single policy choice that allegedly prioritizes criminals and illegal migrants over ordinary residents — for example: her policies continue to put criminals and illegal migrants first
Black-and-White Fallacy: The sentence implies a binary where policies either serve hard-working New Yorkers or criminals and illegal migrants, leaving no room for nuanced policy trade-offs — for example: put criminals and illegal migrants first
Glittering Generalities: The call for 'leadership' that puts citizens 'first' uses vague, emotionally positive framing without specifying any concrete policy or action — for example: New York deserves leadership
Loaded Language
Appeal to Prejudice
Scapegoating
Black-and-White Fallacy
Glittering Generalities
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by Blakeman for New Yorkfrom 2026-09-28 to 2026-10-06spend $15,000–19,999600,000–699,999 impressions
Under Kathy Hochul, electric bills soared 50% higher than they were before she took office, forcing seniors and working families to pay the price.
As Governor, I will cut your utility bills in half, end her scam energy policies, and tap into our abundant natural gas resources to bring down prices.
Exaggeration/Hyperbole: The claim to cut utility bills 'in half' is an extreme, unqualified promise with no supporting evidence — for example: 'cut your utility bills in half'
Loaded Language: The word 'scam' is emotionally charged and derogatory, designed to trigger distrust rather than describe policy substantively — for example: 'scam energy policies'
Name Calling: Labeling the opponent's policies as a 'scam' is a derogatory characterization intended to discredit rather than engage with the substance of those policies — for example: 'her scam energy policies'
Exaggeration/Hyperbole
Loaded Language
Name Calling
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Loaded Language: The word 'fight' is emotionally charged, framing a political donation as a battle or struggle to trigger an emotional response — for example: fight for a New York
Appeal to Prejudice: The phrase 'a New York you can afford to call home' appeals to in-group identity, implying that true New Yorkers are being priced out and must act to reclaim their city — for example: a New York you can afford to call home
Loaded Language
Appeal to Prejudice
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Glittering Generalities: Vague, emotionally positive promises about thriving families and high-paying jobs that sound noble but lack any specific policy substance — for example: 'working families can thrive'
Glittering Generalities
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by Blakeman for New Yorkfrom 2026-09-25 to 2026-10-01spend $30,000–34,999800,000–899,999 impressions
Kathy Hochul has made it unaffordable to live in New York, and people are struggling to pay their bills.
As Governor, I will DOUBLE the STAR tax relief program to deliver real money back to you.
Scapegoating: The sentence attributes the complex economic problem of housing affordability in New York entirely to one individual, Kathy Hochul, ignoring broader economic factors — for example: 'Kathy Hochul has made it unaffordable to live in New York'
Loaded Language: The phrase 'struggling to pay their bills' uses emotionally charged language to evoke hardship and sympathy, amplifying the negative framing — for example: 'people are struggling to pay their bills'
Scapegoating
Loaded Language
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Loaded Language: The phrase 'political peanuts' is a dismissive, emotionally charged label designed to belittle the relief measure rather than engage with it substantively — for example: 'political peanuts'
Card Stacking: The sentence pairs a dismissal of the $200 relief with a claim about a 50% electric bill increase without providing context, sourcing, or counterbalancing information, selectively framing the relief as inadequate — for example: 'considering she increased electric bills by 50%'
Loaded Language
Card Stacking
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
An ad is on this page because its own "Paid for by" line is a campaign in this race; or it ran mostly in NY and names a nominee for governor — unless its sponsor is a campaign for some other office (a U.S. Senate or House campaign included), or it also names NY's Senate nominees, in which case it is on the Senate race's page. Ads from outside groups appear alongside the campaigns' own.
The candidates are the ones certified for the November ballot, from the source linked at the top. Governors are state offices, so there are no FEC filings behind this page: no money figures, and outside groups are placed on a side only when they are a campaign or a party committee.
Campaigns run one text as many separate ads. Identical text from the same sponsor is one card here, marked with its number of variants.
A technique is a specific manipulative move in the wording, found by our model and explained in one line. It is not a claim that the ad is false.
Claims are checked when a reader asks: press "Check this ad's claims" on a card. The check runs once and its result is shown to everyone afterwards. The ten ads with the most money behind them in each race are checked ahead of time.
Claim verdicts say what the cited sources say. A verdict that an ad is wrong or misleading is shown only when it cites an established fact-checker or an institutional record — Congress, a federal agency, a court — and its confidence is not low; a weaker one is not shown at all. Each verdict shows what it rests on and how confident it is. If we got one wrong, press Disagree: a verdict that readers dispute and no one defends comes down.
Video ads come from the campaigns' own YouTube channels; the transcript is analyzed. Meta ads are analyzed on their text; their video and images are not, yet.
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