Editor’s note: Criticism aside, Hochul showed leadership standing up to so-called ‘king’

When critics come out voicing frustrations with Gov. Kathy Hochul, I like to ask: Would a man be piled on as much? She’s already heavily scrutinized just for being New York’s first female governor. Hochul was roasted last week for not removing Eric Adams from office, arguing voters should decide who gets to be New York City’s mayor. Instead, she announced Thursday that she was installing “guardrails” on the mayor’s power to win back trust in government lost when Adams’ corruption charges were suddenly dropped. Adams complied with her decision, and Hochul was criticized for taking half-measures regarding the mayor’s fate, similarly to when she only “paused” congestion pricing amid calls for killing it.

Hochul, however, also was celebrated for standing up to Donald Trump after he proclaimed “long live the king” on his Truth Social platform. The president’s Truth Social post followed his attempt to kill congestion pricing. “We are a nation of laws, not ruled by a king. The MTA has initiated legal proceedings in the Southern District of New York to preserve this critical program,” she said at a press conference Wednesday. “We’ll see you in court.” Finally, a New York leader took a convincing stand against Trump pushing the limits of his authority, and more forcefully on messaging than other powerful Democrats. In fact, Hochul showing leadership by defying Trump could help congressional Democrats, who in a recent Quinnipiac Poll had an abysmal approval rating of 21%. Minority Leaders Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries especially should take notice of Hochul, who adopted a “Rambo” attitude for dealing with Trump’s threats – a fitting title for a woman going up against this president.