Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul says she has no interest in running for Congress again, not even after redistricting in 2022 because she thinks she is having a more positive impact for the people of Western New York in Albany than she could have in Washington, D.C.
Hochul represented WNY in Congress in 2011 and 2012 before losing a close election to Rep. Chris Collins.
She did say, however, if she ran this year, she would win.
Collins, fighting a federal criminal indictment and facing a House Ethics Committee investigation, has made no official announcement regarding his reelection plans. But he has transferred $500,000 of personal funds to his campaign. He is facing at least two primary challengers and if he runs the Democrats may send Nate McMurray up against him again, who narrowly lost to Collins in 2018.
Regardless of who runs against Collins, Hochul said Collins will soon be known as "the former congressman" because "he will lose the election."
Hochul was in Batavia for the announcement of a new workforce development program. We will have more coverage on that later.
