A progressive super PAC called Left Hook launched two political ads on October 16, 2026, seeking to mobilize voters who supported New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani for Gov. Kathy Hochul’s reelection campaign. According to a report by City & State New York, the effort targets progressive voters ahead of the New York gubernatorial election.
Left Hook Targets Progressive Voters
The ads criticize Republican candidate Bruce Blakeman’s immigration policies and encourage voters to support Hochul. They are scheduled to run on Meta platforms and streaming services through Election Day.
Left Hook is affiliated with Make the Road Action, the political arm of immigrant advocacy group Make the Road New York. The group raised $500,000 for the initiative, according to City & State New York.
Mamdani’s Creative Team Supports the Campaign
Left Hook hired Melted Solids, the creative company behind ads for Mamdani’s mayoral campaign. One new ad features voters explaining their support for Hochul, while another criticizes Blakeman’s immigration positions alongside footage of Blakeman and President Donald Trump.
Both ads direct voters to support Hochul on the Working Families Party ballot line.
Immigration Becomes a Campaign Issue
The ads portray immigration enforcement as a key difference between Hochul and Blakeman. Make the Road Action co-Director Daniel Coates emphasized the importance of the election, while the campaign messaging criticizes Blakeman’s support for Trump and ICE.
Mamdani has also appeared in a separate Hochul campaign video criticizing Blakeman and supporting cooperation with the governor.
What NYC Candidates Can Learn About Voter Outreach
NYC candidates can learn how campaigns use targeted messaging to reach specific voter groups. Connecting policy concerns with issues that matter to voters can help candidates build broader support.
Candidates should also distinguish their own campaign communications from advertising funded by outside political committees. Understanding campaign finance rules and voter priorities is essential to effective outreach.
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Left Hook launched two ads encouraging progressive voters who supported Zohran Mamdani to vote for Kathy Hochul and criticizing Bruce Blakeman’s immigration policies.
NYC candidates can learn how targeted messaging, voter outreach, and coalition-building can help campaigns connect with specific groups of voters.
