(Bloomberg) -- Incumbent Governor Kathy Hochul won New York’s Democratic primary for governor Tuesday, handily dispatching two challengers and becoming the first woman to capture the primary contest for the state’s highest office. 

Hochul received 67% of the vote, followed by Jumaane Williams with 21%, according to early poll results from the the Associated Press. 

Hochul, 63, served as former Governor Andrew Cuomo’s lieutenant governor for nearly seven years. The Buffalo native took over the governorship in August 2021, when Cuomo resigned amid sexual harassment accusations. 

Long Island US Representative Tom Suozzi and New York City Public Advocate Williams ran against Hochul in the primary, and were critical of the governor’s ability to handle increased crime rates in New York City. They also repeatedly attacked a deal she helped broker as part of this year’s budget to spend $850 million in taxpayer funds on a $1.4 billion stadium for the Buffalo Bills.

Hochul’s running mate, former Hudson Valley US Representative and current Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado, received 61% of the vote, according to early results. He beat out challenges from former New York City Council Member Diana Reyna, who ran alongside Suozzi, and progressive activist Ana Maria Archila, who ran on a ticket with Williams and received a coveted endorsement from US Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Archila took 25% of the vote. 

While Hochul sailed to a smooth victory, the general election could prove more challenging as Democrats face a rising wave of pushback and voters remain frustrated with inflation and gun crime. 

(Updates in second and fifth paragraphs with election results.)

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