New York · Governor · Tuesday, November 3, 2026
Where do the candidates stand on abortion and reproductive rights?
Bruce BlakemanRepublican
Kathy HochulDemocratIncumbent
Part of the full New York Governor comparison · Last reviewed October 21, 2026
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
Each position is labeled by what it rests on: a campaign proposal, a public statement, a past action such as a vote or lawsuit, or an enacted policy. Where nothing is documented, the page says so.
Documented positions
Bruce Blakeman
Calls himself a "pro-choice Republican" who believes a woman has a right to choose early in pregnancy, and cited abortion as a policy difference with President Trump.
Show the evidence (3)Hide the evidence
- Public statementDec. 11, 2025
Told Spectrum News in December 2025, "I'm a pro-choice Republican," and said he believes "a woman has a right to choose in the early term of her pregnancy"; he told the New York Post the stance "takes the abortion issue off the table." 2 sourcesBruce Blakeman touts executive experience against Stefanik in race for N.Y. governor (opens in a new tab)Spectrum News · Dec. 11, 2025 · NewsBruce Blakeman reveals one issue 'off the table' in NY governor race as he slams Hochul's 'green energy scam' (opens in a new tab)New York Post, via AOL · Dec. 21, 2025 · News
- Public statementOct. 13, 2026
In the Oct. 13 debate he cited abortion as one of his "very significant policy differences" with President Trump, saying, "He's pro-life. I'm pro-choice." 2 sources5 moments that defined the gubernatorial debate (opens in a new tab)City & State New York · Oct. 13, 2026 · NewsHochul, Blakeman clash in debate on Trump, immigration, Cornell investigation, and more (opens in a new tab)FOX 5 New York · Oct. 14, 2026 · News
- Public statementNov. 4, 2024
Spoke against Proposition 1, the 2024 amendment adding protections that include "pregnancy outcomes and reproductive health care and autonomy" to the equal rights provision of the state constitution, citing its effect on transgender athletes and saying, "Why would we need it? We already have a constitution that protects people in race, religion, gender, ethnicity." SourceElection day 2024: What is Prop 1 in New York? Where to find equal rights amendment on the ballot (opens in a new tab)ABC7 New York · Nov. 4, 2024 · News
- Public statementDec. 11, 2025
Told Spectrum News in December 2025, "I'm a pro-choice Republican," and said he believes "a woman has a right to choose in the early term of her pregnancy"; he told the New York Post the stance "takes the abortion issue off the table." 2 sourcesBruce Blakeman touts executive experience against Stefanik in race for N.Y. governor (opens in a new tab)Spectrum News · Dec. 11, 2025 · NewsBruce Blakeman reveals one issue 'off the table' in NY governor race as he slams Hochul's 'green energy scam' (opens in a new tab)New York Post, via AOL · Dec. 21, 2025 · News
- Public statementOct. 13, 2026
In the Oct. 13 debate he cited abortion as one of his "very significant policy differences" with President Trump, saying, "He's pro-life. I'm pro-choice." 2 sources5 moments that defined the gubernatorial debate (opens in a new tab)City & State New York · Oct. 13, 2026 · NewsHochul, Blakeman clash in debate on Trump, immigration, Cornell investigation, and more (opens in a new tab)FOX 5 New York · Oct. 14, 2026 · News
- Public statementNov. 4, 2024
Spoke against Proposition 1, the 2024 amendment adding protections that include "pregnancy outcomes and reproductive health care and autonomy" to the equal rights provision of the state constitution, citing its effect on transgender athletes and saying, "Why would we need it? We already have a constitution that protects people in race, religion, gender, ethnicity." SourceElection day 2024: What is Prop 1 in New York? Where to find equal rights amendment on the ballot (opens in a new tab)ABC7 New York · Nov. 4, 2024 · News
Kathy Hochul
Signed a 2025 law letting abortion-pill prescribers keep their names off labels; said she would never approve extraditing a New York doctor charged in Louisiana.
Show the evidence (2)Hide the evidence
- Enacted policyFeb. 3, 2025
Signed a law on Feb. 3, 2025, allowing prescribers of the abortion medications mifepristone and misoprostol to put their practice's name, rather than their own, on prescription labels. It builds on the state's 2022 shield laws, which bar local officials from assisting most out-of-state investigations of New York abortion providers. SourceNew NY law lets doctors keep their names off abortion meds (opens in a new tab)Gothamist · Feb. 3, 2025 · News
- Public statementFeb. 3, 2025
After a Louisiana grand jury indicted Margaret Carpenter, a doctor in New Paltz, on a criminal abortion charge for prescribing abortion medication to a Louisiana resident, said she would never sign an extradition agreement sending the doctor to be prosecuted. SourceNew NY law lets doctors keep their names off abortion meds (opens in a new tab)Gothamist · Feb. 3, 2025 · News
- Enacted policyFeb. 3, 2025
Signed a law on Feb. 3, 2025, allowing prescribers of the abortion medications mifepristone and misoprostol to put their practice's name, rather than their own, on prescription labels. It builds on the state's 2022 shield laws, which bar local officials from assisting most out-of-state investigations of New York abortion providers. SourceNew NY law lets doctors keep their names off abortion meds (opens in a new tab)Gothamist · Feb. 3, 2025 · News
- Public statementFeb. 3, 2025
After a Louisiana grand jury indicted Margaret Carpenter, a doctor in New Paltz, on a criminal abortion charge for prescribing abortion medication to a Louisiana resident, said she would never sign an extradition agreement sending the doctor to be prosecuted. SourceNew NY law lets doctors keep their names off abortion meds (opens in a new tab)Gothamist · Feb. 3, 2025 · News
Recorded votes on abortion and reproductive rights
Selected votes
Bruce Blakeman
No selected votes for this candidate
Kathy Hochul
Protect Life Act (H.R. 358, 112th Congress)
AbortionWould have amended the Affordable Care Act to prohibit federal funds from covering any part of the costs of a health plan that includes abortion coverage; required plans offered through an exchange that cover abortion to also offer an otherwise identical plan that does not; barred federal agencies, and state and local governments receiving federal assistance under the law, from requiring health plans to discriminate against health care entities that refuse to undergo, require, provide or refer for training in induced abortions; and created a federal cause of action for violations of the law's abortion provisions.
Passed the House 251–172 on Oct. 13, 2011; referred to the Senate Finance Committee Oct. 17, 2011, and did not become law.
2 sourcesRoll Call 789: H.R. 358, Protect Life Act, On Passage (opens in a new tab)Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives · Oct. 13, 2011 · Legislative recordH.R.358 - Protect Life Act (112th Congress) (opens in a new tab)Library of Congress (Congress.gov) · Legislative recordVoted noU.S. House · Oct. 13, 2011
On Passage
House roll call 789, 2011 (official record, opens in a new tab)SourceRoll Call 789: H.R. 358, Protect Life Act, On Passage (opens in a new tab)Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives · Oct. 13, 2011 · Legislative record
In their own words
Statements
Bruce Blakeman
Differences with President Trump on abortion and immigration
I have very significant policy differences with President Trump. He's pro-life. I'm pro-choice. I believe in a guest worker program for immigrants. He isn't there yet
Bruce Blakeman · Debate with Kathy Hochul, hosted by Spectrum News NY1 in New York City · Oct. 13, 2026
3 sourcesHochul, Blakeman spar off in gubernatorial debate (full debate video) (opens in a new tab)Spectrum News NY1 · Oct. 13, 2026 · Transcript or videoHochul, Blakeman clash in debate on Trump, immigration, Cornell investigation, and more (opens in a new tab)FOX 5 New York · Oct. 14, 2026 · News5 moments that defined the gubernatorial debate (opens in a new tab)City & State New York · Oct. 13, 2026 · News
Kathy Hochul
Extradition of a New York abortion provider
Never, under any circumstances, will I sign an extradition agreement that sends our doctor into harm’s way to be prosecuted as a criminal for simply following her oath
Kathy Hochul · Remarks at the signing of a law letting prescribers of abortion medication list their practice rather than their own name on labels, about a New Paltz doctor indicted in Louisiana, as quoted by Gothamist · Feb. 3, 2025
SourceNew NY law lets doctors keep their names off abortion meds (opens in a new tab)Gothamist · Feb. 3, 2025 · News
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