New York state comptroller race: The Republican taking on DiNapoli

Published October 23, 2026 10:02 AM EDT

New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli is being challenged for his seat in this coming election.

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NYS Comptroller candidates: Who is who?

What we know:

DiNapoli, who has held the office of state comptroller for nearly 20 years, is being challenged by GOP nominee Joseph Hernandez.

NYS Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli

The current comptroller is a Long Island native who became one of the youngest New Yorkers to hold a public office at just 18 years old. Before being elected to his current role, DiNapoli served in the state assembly for almost two decades.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 12: State Comptroller Thomas Dinapoli speaks during the annual New York State Financial Control Board meeting on August 12, 2026 in New York City. Dinapoli was joined by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, New York Gov. Ka

On his campaign website, the incumbent highlights the fact that he grew the state's pension fund to nearly $300 billion, as well as creating an early warning system for communities experiencing fiscal problems.

DiNapoli is endorsed by dozens of local leaders, along with Gov. Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James.

Joseph Hernandez

The other side:

Republican nominee Joseph Hernandez is an entrepreneur who ran as an independent in New York City's mayoral race last year.

Garden City, N.Y.: Joseph Hernandez takes the stage as he accepts the nominee for New York State Comptroller at the New York State Republican convention at the Garden City Hotel in Garden City, New York on February 10, 2026. (Photo by Drew Singh/News

On his campaign website, Hernandez alleges that "oversight is slow" – the GOP candidate promises that, if he were elected, he would create a fraud strike task force and create the empire opportunity fund to "identify competitive investment opportunities" across the state.

The Source: This article includes information from several state official websites and both candidates' campaign websites.

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