Women aren’t just having a moment in New York politics – they’re making gains and locking them in. Gov. Kathy Hochul already made history as the state’s first woman governor, and if she faces Rep. Elise Stefanik in the 2026 general election as expected, it would be the first time neither major party gubernatorial candidate in New York is a man. State Attorney General Letitia James and state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins followed ceiling-shattering elections of their own with headline-grabbing records in office. This year, women held on to a majority in the New York City Council and are likely poised to once again elect a woman speaker – which would make it the only citywide or statewide post in New York that has been held by more women than men.

City & State’s Women Power

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