Governor Kathy Hochul found herself in the spotlight this week after an unusual moment at a rally for mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani. During the event, a crowd of New Yorkers began chanting "Tax the rich!" However, Hochul claimed she misheard the chant, saying she thought they were cheering for the Buffalo Bills, the NFL team.
This incident occurred on Monday when Hochul was questioned about her stance on taxes. Mamdani has been vocal about wanting to raise taxes on wealthy New Yorkers and corporations. When asked if she would stick to her position against tax increases, Hochul responded that she couldn’t clearly hear the crowd. She mentioned, “I heard a lot of cheers,” and expressed her hope that Democrats could harness the enthusiasm from the crowd to help regain control of the House in the upcoming 2026 midterm elections.
Critics quickly jumped on Hochul’s comments. Representative Elise Stefanik, a Republican from New York, took to social media, saying, “The #BillsMafia won’t forget. What a trainwreck @KathyHochul is every single day.” This remark highlighted the disconnect many felt between Hochul’s response and the actual sentiments of the crowd.
The situation drew comparisons to a past moment when an NBC reporter misinterpreted a crowd chant at a NASCAR event. In that case, fans were chanting “F*** Joe Biden,” but the reporter claimed they were saying “Let’s go, Brandon,” which became a popular rallying cry among some political groups.
Hochul’s remarks have sparked discussions about her leadership and responsiveness to public sentiment, especially as she prepares for future political challenges. The rally incident serves as a reminder of the importance of being in tune with constituents, particularly as tax policy remains a hot topic in New York.
