1970 New York gubernatorial election

none January 2025 September 2023 1970 New York gubernatorial election New York Flag of New York (1909–2020).svg presidential no 1966 New York gubernatorial election 1966 1974 New York gubernatorial election 1974 November 3, 1970 File:Nelson Rockefeller in 1974.jpg 150x150px Nelson Rockefeller Republican Party (United States) Civil Service Independent Malcolm Wilson 3,151,432 52.41% File:Arthur Goldberg (1971)(cropped).jpg Arthur Goldberg Democratic Party (United States) Liberal Basil Paterson 2,421,426 40.27% Paul L. Adams 1966.png Paul L. Adams Conservative Party of New York State Edward F. Leonard 422,514 7.03% 1970 New York gubernatorial election results map by county.svg 300px County results Rockefeller: #ffb2b2 40–50% #e27f7f 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70%Goldberg: #a5b0ff 40–50% #7996e2 50–60% Governor Nelson Rockefeller Republican Party (United States) Nelson Rockefeller Republican Party (United States) no The 1970 New York gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1970 to elect the governor and lieutenant governor of New York. Republican incumbent Nelson Rockefeller was elected to a fourth term in office over Arthur Goldberg. Primary elections were held on June 23. Goldberg narrowly defeated Howard J. Samuels for the Democratic nomination. Goldberg's running mate, Basil Paterson, was the first African-American nominee for lieutenant governor.His son, David Paterson, would become the first African-American lieutenant governor of New York in 2007. Paterson would serve as governor from 2008 to 2010, after the resignation of Eliot Spitzer. Rockefeller received over 3.15 million votes, the highest total in any New York gubernatorial election until Andrew Cuomo received 3.64 million in 2018. After this election, no Republican was elected governor until George Pataki in 1994. Background Nelson Rockefeller was first elected governor of New York in 1958; he was broadly considered moderate or liberal, known for his support for civil rights and abortion rights, and a leader of one wing of the national Republican Party. In 1960, 1964 and 1968, he ran for president of the United States but failed to win the Republican nomination in each race. In 1966, he was re-elected as governor with only a plurality of the vote, as conservatives supported Conservative Party nominee Paul L. Adams and liberals supported Liberal Party candidate Franklin D. Roosevelt Jr. Entering 1970, however, Rockefeller was generally seen to have modified his views to better align with the changing direction of his party and divisions within the New York State Democratic Party. He emphasized his support for law and order policies and extolled belief in the virtues of the silent majority.Reeves Richard September 21, 1970 Rockefeller's Strategy https://www.nytimes.com/1970/09/21/archives/rockefellers-strategy-drive-for-white-ethnic-vote-appears-to-be.html 2026-10-15 The New York Times en-US 0362-4331 In the 1969 New York City mayoral election, he chose to support the Republican nominee, state senator John J. Marchi, over Republican incumbent John Lindsay, who ran on the Liberal Party ticket. Although Rockefeller had been a major donor to and public supporter of Lindsay in his 1965 campaign, he claimed that his role as titular head of the New York Republican Party required him to support Marchi as the party's nominee.Tolchin Martin 1970-10-20 LINDSAY ENDORSES GOLDBERG, CITING ‘URBAN PROGRESS’ https://www.nytimes.com/1970/10/20/archives/lindsay-endorses-goldberg-citing-urban-progress-mayor-also-backs.html 2026-10-15 The New York Times en-US 0362-4331 Anticipating a race against a liberal candidate in the upcoming gubernatorial election, Rockefeller privately strategized in April 1970 that he would win re-election by seeking the support of the so-called "white ethnic" vote, including lower-middle-income Roman Catholics of Italian or Polish ancestry. Rockefeller also told friends that he could not hope to hold the 35 percent of the Jewish and African American votes he had received in prior elections. Both supporters and opponents viewed this as a move towards the political right. Rockefeller was also able to disincentivize potential opponents through his imposing personal fortune; he had spent $10 million on his 1966 campaign, and when asked how much he was prepared to spend in 1970, Rockefeller responded, "Enough."Reeves Richard 1970-03-30 Rockefeller's Strength and Weakness Are Analyzed https://www.nytimes.com/1970/03/30/archives/rockefellers-strength-and-weakness-are-analyzed.html 2026-10-15 The New York Times en-US 0362-4331 Democratic primary Governor Candidates Arthur Goldberg, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, U.S. secretary of labor, and associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court (also running as Liberal) Howard J. Samuels, former administrator of the Small Business AdministrationKnowles Clayton 1969-12-10 GOLDBERG ASSERTS HE WILL NOT RUN FOR OFFICE IN '70; Statement Rules Out a Race for Governor or Senator -- Decision Is 'Final' GOLDBERG SAYS HE WILL NOT RUN https://www.nytimes.com/1969/12/10/archives/goldberg-asserts-he-will-not-run-for-office-in-70-statement-rules.html 2026-10-15 The New York Times en-US 0362-4331 (also running as Liberal) Withdrew Eugene Nickerson, Nassau County executive U.N. ambassador Arthur Goldberg was lobbied to run for governor. In early December, he met with business, civic, and political leaders at the home of W. Averell Harriman, Rockefeller's predecessor, and a majority of the men urged Goldberg specifically to run for governor. He was considered a highly credentialed challenger, though he had only held appointed offices and had never run for public office himself. On December 9, 1969, he disclaimed any suggestions that he would run for governor or any other office in 1970, saying that his decision was "final and not subject to change." Goldberg's associates speculated that he was reluctant to engage in a long, costly primary fight; both Howard J. Samuels and Eugene Nickerson said they would not "step aside" for Goldberg to seek the governorship. At the time, Goldberg's supporters claimed that polling showed him leading Rockefeller with 58 percent of the vote to 33 percent for the incumbent.Reeves Richard 1970-10-05 Political Poll‐Vaulting https://www.nytimes.com/1970/10/05/archives/political-pollvaulting-stands-of-candidates-depend-heavily-on-their.html 2026-10-15 The New York Times en-US 0362-4331 Campaign In April, Goldberg won the endorsement of the Democratic state committe, establishing him as the frontrunner for the nomination. Results 1970 Democratic gubernatorial primaryOctober 2026 Arthur Goldberg Democratic Party (United States) 496,648 52.16% Howard J. Samuels Democratic Party (United States) 455,482 47.84% 952,130 100.00 Lieutenant governor Candidates Jerome Ambro, Huntington supervisor Basil A. Paterson, state senator from Harlem Results 1970 Democratic lieutenant gubernatorial primaryOctober 2026 Basil A. Paterson Democratic Party (United States) 594,751 71.23% Jerome Ambro Democratic Party (United States) 240,235 28.77% 834,986 100.00 Other contested nominations Conservative Conservative Party convention resultshttp://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=185843 Our Campaigns - NY Governor - C Convention Race - Apr 07, 1970 Paul L. Adams Conservative Party of New York State 75 97.40 Mario Procaccino (write-in) Conservative Party of New York State 2 2.60 77 100.00 Liberal Liberal Party State Committee vote resultshttp://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=226627 Our Campaigns - NY Governor - L Convention Race - May 11, 1970 Arthur Goldberg Liberal Party (New York) 211 70.33 Robert M. Morgenthau Liberal Party (New York) 81 27.00 Howard J. Samuels Liberal Party (New York) 8 2.67 300 100.00 General election Candidates Paul L. Adams, academic dean of Roberts Wesleyan College and 1966 nominee for governor (Conservative) Running mate: Edward F. Leonard, Iona College political science professor1970-09-13 200 at Conservative Picnic Upstate Attend Buckley https://www.nytimes.com/1970/09/13/archives/200-at-conservative-picnic-upstate-attend-buckley.html 2026-10-05 The New York Times en-US 0362-4331 Clifton DeBerry, 1964 nominee for president of the United States and 1965 nominee for mayor of New York City (Socialist Workers) Running mate: Jonathan Rothschild, Manhattan taxi driver1970-10-25 Communist Slate Is State's First Since ’46 https://www.nytimes.com/1970/10/25/archives/communist-slate-is-states-first-since-46-places-on-ballot-won-by.html 2026-10-05 The New York Times en-US 0362-4331 Stephen Emery, retired city subway dispatcher and perennial candidate (Socialist Labor) Running mate: Arnold Babel, systems analyst Arthur Goldberg, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, U.S. secretary of labor, and associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court (Democratic, Liberal) Running mate: Basil Paterson, state senator from Harlem Nelson Rockefeller, incumbent governor since 1959 (Republican, Civil Service Independent) Running mate: Malcolm Wilson, incumbent lieutenant governor since 1959 Rasheed Storey, New York Communist Party chairman1970-08-23 8 PARTIES SEEK PLACE ON BALLOT https://www.nytimes.com/1970/08/23/archives/8-parties-seek-place-on-ballot-deadline-passes-for-filing-petitions.html 2026-10-05 The New York Times en-US 0362-4331 (Communist) Running mate: Grace Mora-Newman, East Bronx housewife and active anti-war community organizer1970-07-09 COMMUNISTS OFFER TO SUPPORT POWELL https://www.nytimes.com/1970/07/09/archives/communists-offer-to-support-powell.html 2026-10-05 The New York Times en-US 0362-4331 The Communist Party nominated a slate for the first time since 1946. Disqualified Albert Bushong (Courage) Running mate: Robert P. Shields Jane Gilroy, Merrick housewife and homemakerLeland John 2022-07-14 For New York’s Anti-Abortion Veterans, Roe’s Fall Is Not a Full Victory https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/14/nyregion/ny-anti-abortion.html 2026-10-05 The New York Times en-US 0362-4331 (Right to Life) Running mate: Marcia Pilsner, Seaford homemakerTaranto Stacie https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.9783/9780812293852/html Kitchen Table Politics: Conservative Women and Family Values in New York University of Pennsylvania Press 2017 Philadelphia Chapter 2. Vatican II and the Seeds of Political DiscontentTaranto Stacie Defending "Family Values": Women‘s Grassroots Politics and the Republican Right, 1970-1980 May 2010 October 3, 2026 PhD Brown University https://www.proquest.com/openview/5130937849ddec21964d58ff608c1ff1/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750 Gilroy was disqualified from the ballot after three thousand of her petition signatures were ruled invalid. Campaign In a marked contrast to the preceding elections, Rockefeller ran a more conservative, populist campaign aimed at appealing to frustrated working-class voters, using the May 8 Hard Hat Riot in lower Manhattan as a symbolic breaking point with the elite liberalism of Lindsay, who had condemned the violence. Rockefeller had a close working relationship with Peter J. Brennan, who was accused of engineering the riots and served as the chief organizer of pro-Nixon, pro-war demonstrations that followed the initial unrest.Watson Michael April 23, 2025 Republicans and Big Labor: The Two Minds of Tricky Dick https://capitalresearch.org/article/republicans-and-big-labor-a-failed-courtship-part-3/ 2026-10-15 en-US Instead of joining Lindsay in calling for peace, Rockefeller emphasized the need for leaders to "get going and meet" the problems of modern urban life and offered public sympathy to those voters "frustrated and frightened by crime, muggings and robbings, by the filth of the streets, by the breakdowns whether it's power, transportation [or] telephones."Knowles Clayton 1970-10-26 Public Frustrated, Governor Asserts https://www.nytimes.com/1970/10/26/archives/public-frustrated-governor-asserts.html 2026-10-15 The New York Times en-US 0362-4331 Rockefeller openly courted organized labor, winning the endorsements of at least 17 unions and claiming to have the endorsements of 50 unions representing more than 1.2 million members in total, despite Goldberg's credentials as a labor lawyer and former U.S. labor secretary. September 14, 1970 The Presidency: Wooing the Labor Vote https://time.com/archive/6638810/the-presidency-wooing-the-labor-vote/ 2026-10-15 TIME en However, he lost the endorsements of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union and Local 1199 of the Drug and Hospital Union, which had supported him in his prior two campaigns for re-election and now backed Goldberg.GOVERNOR BACKED BY SANITATION MEN https://www.nytimes.com/1970/09/25/archives/governor-backed-by-sanitation-men-his-stand-during-garbage-strike.html September 25, 1970 October 15, 2026 The New York Times Reeves Richard 47 Rockefeller won early cross-party support for his campaign, and his "white ethnic" campaign had proven successful by September. On a visit to Bay Ridge, a predominantly Italian and Irish neighborhood of Brooklyn which had only given him 38 percent of the vote in 1966, Rockefeller was reportedly mobbed by enthusiastic supporters. Simultaneously, the Buffalo Evening News reported on his inroads in Erie County, where typically Democratic blue-collar workers, many of them Polish Americans, had splintered. On September 11, he was endorsed by Democratic reformer and former New York City police commissioner Francis W. H. Adams, who praised his record and said that Goldberg was not capable of uniting the divisions in the Democratic Party. Days later, Rockefeller personally accepted the endorsement of Mario Procaccino, who had run a conservative populist campaign as the Democratic nominee against Lindsay in the prior year's mayoral race. Procaccino attacked Goldberg as a "limousine liberal" who had supported Lindsay and "stabbed the Democratic Party in the back," and claimed, "A vote for Paul Adams is a wasted vote."Knowles Clayton 1970-09-15 Rockefeller Endorsed by Procaccino https://www.nytimes.com/1970/09/15/archives/rockefeller-endorsed-by-procaccino.html 2026-10-15 The New York Times en-US 0362-4331 The Rockefeller campaign contrasted Goldberg's campaign materials, which depicted him wearing a hard hat, with Rockefeller's own record as "a real worker, a man who knows how to get things done." Goldberg and Paterson said that the Procaccino endorsement showed that Rockefeller was embracing the conservative element in the state and abandoning the center. Rockefeller was considered the heavy favorite for much of the race, but the race became heated in October, when Rockefeller accused Goldberg of promising a state job paying $70,000 ($USD 70000 1970 -3 c in USD) in exchange for an endorsement. Goldberg shocked the press with his profane, forthright response, "Rockefeller is full of bullshit. You can quote me. I want you to quote me."November 2, 1970 Nation: The Struggle for the Statehouses https://time.com/archive/6843518/nation-the-struggle-for-the-statehouses/ October 15, 2026 Time Goldberg's campaign got a further boost when Lindsay, the nominally Republican mayor of New York City, endorsed him over Rockefeller. Lindsay's endorsement was widely seen as a precursor to Lindsay's decision to switch to the Democratic Party, where he might have a national political future including a run for president. Lindsay preempted this speculation by pointing out that he remained a registered Republican and had endorsed Republican U.S. senator Charles Goodell and attorney general Louis Lefkowitz, although the large majority of his endorsements for Congress and the state legislature were for Democratic candidates; he argued that Rockefeller had drifted to the political right. Rockefeller called the claim "a complete distortion and misrepresentation of the facts. Lindsay's endorsement of Goldberg came despite a public request from Rockefeller to remain neutral in the race, which the majority of Lindsay's advisers supported. To exploit the divisions in the Democratic base, Rockefeller sought to reach out to ethnic minorities, attending the Feast of San Gennaro in Little Italy and pledging support to Israel in order to "restore the balance of power in the Middle East" following the Dawson's Field hijackings by Palestinian militants. Rockefeller personally visited New Yorkers whose families were being held hostage at the time.https://www.nytimes.com/1970/09/12/archives/adams-bolts-democrats-to-endorse-rockefeller.html Adams Bolts Democrats To Endorse Rockefeller Narvaez Alfonso A. September 12, 1970 The New York Times October 15, 2026 14 Days before the election, Rockefeller claimed the endorsement of a dozen Orthodox rabbis, eleven of whom appeared at a news conference with the governor; Goldberg claimed the endorsement was false and that at least seven of the rabbis had not consented to the use of their names. The only named rabbi who did not appear at the news conference, Meyer Cohen, confirmed that he had not endorsed any candidate.Lynn Frank 1970-10-31 Goldberg Doubts Rabbis Back Governor https://www.nytimes.com/1970/10/31/archives/goldberg-doubts-rabbis-back-governor.html 2026-10-15 The New York Times en-US 0362-4331 Rockefeller was aided by a generally less active campaign from the Conservative Party on his right, which focused instead on supporting James L. Buckley to the concurrent United States Senate election. Adams himself spent most of the campaign gathering signatures or stumping for Buckley. Polling In late October, Rockefeller called the race a "tough fight, a close race," claiming that he had been two points behind Goldberg in late September but was "beyond two points ahead of him." A survey commissioned by The New York Times found that self-identified conservatives favored Rockefeller by 44.7 percent to 19.3 percent for Goldberg, while 29.5 percent of moderates remained undecided. On October 27, he clarified that internal polls showed him ahead by 8 points.1970-10-28 Rockefeller Says Poll Gives Him 8‐Point Lead https://www.nytimes.com/1970/10/28/archives/rockefeller-says-poll-gives-him-8point-lead.html 2026-10-15 The New York Times en-US 0362-4331 However, a New York Daily News straw poll showed Rockefeller ahead by a much larger 21-point margin. In the final Daily News straw poll, taken on November 1, he led by 15 points.1970-11-02 Rockefeller Leads in Final News Poll https://www.nytimes.com/1970/11/02/archives/rockefeller-leads-in-final-news-poll.html 2026-10-15 The New York Times en-US 0362-4331 Poll sourceDate(s)Sample sizeNelson Rockefeller (R)Arthur Goldberg (D)Paul Adams (C)Other / undecidedCalculated by taking the difference of 100% and all other candidates combined. New York Daily NewsNovember 2, 19705,025Straw votes54%39%4%3%New York Daily News588Live interviews52%36%5%7%New York Daily NewsOctober 26, 1970October 202657%36%4%3% Endorsements Arthur Goldberg (D, L) ;Local officials John Lindsay, mayor of New York City (Republican) Thomas J. Mackell, Queens district attorney Paul O'Dwyer, former member of the New York City Council and founder of the New Democratic Coalition Frank G. Rossetti, state assemblyman and chair of the Manhattan Democratic Party Party officials Patrick Cunningham, chair of the Bronx Democratic Party Meade Esposito, chair of the Brooklyn Democratic Party Labor unions Local 1199 of the Drug and Hospital Union International Ladies Garment Workers Union Nelson Rockefeller (R, CSI) ;Local officials Francis W. H. Adams, former New York City police commissioner (Democratic) Mario Procaccino, former New York City comptroller and 1969 Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City (Democratic) Newspapers The New York Times Labor unions Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York New York State Firefighters AssociationJuly 3, 1970 The New York Times October 15, 2026 https://www.nytimes.com/1970/07/03/archives/union-endorses-rockefeller.html Union Endorses Rockefeller Teamsters Joint Council 16 Uniformed Sanitationmen's Association thumb|newspaper advertisement for the Democratic ticket Results New York gubernatorial election, 1970 Republican Party (United States) Nelson Rockefeller 3,105,220 51.64% Civil Service Ind. Nelson Rockefeller 46,212 0.77% Total Nelson Rockefeller (incumbent) 3,151,432 52.41% +7.80% Democratic Party (United States) Arthur Goldberg 2,158,355 35.90% Liberal Party of New York Arthur Goldberg 263,071 4.38% Total Arthur Goldberg 2,421,426 40.27% +2.16% Conservative Party of New York State Conservative Paul L. Adams 422,514 7.03% -1.43% Communist Party USA Rasheed Storey 7,760 0.13% N/A Socialist Workers Party (United States) Clifton DeBerry 5,766 0.10% -0.11% Socialist Labor Party of America Stephen Emery 3,963 0.07% -0.14% 730,006 12.14% +5.64% 6,012,861 Republican Party (United States) Democratic Party (United States) See also 1970 New York state election 2006 New York gubernatorial election Notes References Bibliography Paterson, David "Black, Blind, & In Charge: A Story of Visionary Leadership and Overcoming Adversity." 1970 Gubernatorial New York Category:November 1970 elections in the United States Category:Nelson Rockefeller