Supreme Court ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade could impact New York governor's race
NEW YORK -- The Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade could have implications in the New York governor's race.
Gov. Kathy Hochul is trying to energize her voters and call attention to the ruling that could hurt the winner of the Republican primary, CBS2's Marcia Kramer reported Friday.
Never let a good crisis go unexploited. It's one of the first rules of politics. Expect Hochul to mention the ruling early and often leading into the November election. The Republican nominee will probably try to change the subject.
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"So we go forth, discouraged by the Supreme Court, anxious about what they may do to other rights that we hold dear, such as marriage equality. We'll continue to protect that right here in the state of New York," Hochul said.
The governor was at the dedication of the Stonewall National Monument when the Supreme Court issued its ruling overturning Roe v. Wade.
It apparently made a lot of sense to her to get a two-for: attack the court's decision on abortion and win support from the LGBTQ+ community in her bid for election to a full four-year term.
"We don't just stand up though because this is New York. We stand up and we fight back, don't we. We stand up and we fight back," Hochul said.
Political experts say, in a blue state like New York, the ruling is the political equivalent of manna from heaven.
David Birdsell, provost at Kean University, says many New York voters will be worried about any attempt to pull back from the state's strong laws guaranteeing the right to have an abortion.
"The fear of that happening in New York will be one of the major drivers of Democratic turnout and of Democratic choice in this election and I believe for many elections to come," Birdsell said.
It's not that the Republican candidates are playing hide and seek on the issue, especially since there is a tough four-way primary election on Tuesday.
U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin, the Republican Party's official designee, issued a statement calling the Supreme Court ruling "a victory for life, for family, for the constitution, and for federalism."
Andrew Giuliani, another GOP contender, played the Trump card in an attempt to get votes, saying, "I celebrate the Supreme Court's reversal of Roe vs Wade. It's a victory for states' rights but more importantly, the sanctity of life. This protection for our most vulnerable New Yorkers is the enduring legacy of President Donald J. Trump."
Experts said the best hope for Republicans come November in New York is to talk about something else, highlight crime and the economy and promise to cut taxes.
