She got buffaloed.<\/p>\n
Gov. Kathy Hochul-backed candidates largely got slaughtered in Tuesday\u2019s primaries<\/a> by a murderers\u2019 row of Democratic Socialists of America insurgents \u2014 raising questions over how much political sway she holds after selling out to Mayor Zohran Mamdani<\/a> and his \u201ctax the rich\u201d comrades.<\/p>\n On primary day, Hochul was notably checked out \u2013 sprawled on the grass of the new Buffalo Bills stadium<\/a>, hobnobbing with the team\u2019s billionaire owner Terry Pegula, instead of hitting the campaign trail as the DSA swept.<\/p>\n \u201cShe controls the levers of government, the state party infrastructure, and has a proven ability to win statewide. But Mamdani has demonstrated that there is growing political value in being perceived as an outsider willing to take on the establishment,\u201d former Democratic state Sen. David Carlucci told The Post.<\/p>\n NY Gov. Kathy Hochul attending the ribbon cutting ceremony at the new Buffalo Bills\u2019 Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, NY, on Wednesday. AP Photo\/Jeffrey T. Barnes<\/p>\n The moderate Hochul \u2014 who symbolically leads the state Democratic Party and controls a vast and powerful fundraising network \u2014 formed a tenuous political alliance with the socialist firebrand Mamdani after his meteoric rise in last year\u2019s mayoral election.<\/p>\n But Mamdani has done little-to-nothing to back Hochul\u2019s preferred candidates. <\/p>\n He instead endorsed a slate of DSA and progressive congressional and state legislature candidates in direct opposition to Hochul\u2019s picks \u2013 who floundered in Tuesday\u2019s primaries.<\/p>\n Follow live updates on Mayor Zohran Mamdani\u2019s socialist agenda and the latest in NYC politics<\/a><\/p>\n Not only did high-profile Hochul picks such as Reps. Dan Goldman and Adriano Espaillat<\/a> get cut down by Mamdani-backed candidates, but even the candidate she endorsed for her home state Assembly district in Buffalo \u2014 Karen Hoak \u2014 lost to the DSA\u2019s Adam Bojak.<\/p>\n Another Hochul ally and endorsee, incumbent state Sen. Jeremy Zellner (D-Erie), got rocked by WFP-backed progressive Assemblyman Jon Rivera (D-Erie) for the state Senate\u00a061st District.<\/p>\n \u201cThe pendulum is swinging so hard it has broken free from the clock,\u201d Hudson Valley state Sen. Jim Skoufis (D-Orange) posted to X<\/a>.<\/p>\n The newly constructed $2.1 billion Highmark Stadium \u2014 home to the Buffalo Bills \u2014 is officially open Wednesday. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n As Hochul\u2019s candidates faltered, she was able to carve out a few hours earlier in the day to party with her precious Buffalo Bills who cut the ribbon on their new stadium in Orchard Park.<\/p>\n