Rob Ortt, a New York State Senator and Republican leader, used his social media account to express concerns about state policies during the opening days of the 2026 legislative session. In a series of posts published on January 13 and January 14, Ortt outlined his conference’s legislative priorities and responded critically to Governor Kathy Hochul’s State of the State address.
On January 13, Ortt stated: “During the 2026 legislative session, my conference will fight to Save New York. Our constituents have had enough of the overburdening taxes, mandates, and policies that strip away our freedoms and liberties.” Later that day, he posted another message in response to Governor Hochul’s remarks: “My response to Governor Hochul’s State of the State address “
The following day, Ortt further criticized the governor’s speech by writing: “The Governor failed to mention during her address that the current affordability crisis and deterioration of safety in our communities is the direct result of years of bad policies coming from Democrats in Albany. Instead of owning their failures, they point the finger at the”
Rob Ortt serves as Minority Leader in the New York State Senate. The annual State of the State address is traditionally delivered by New York’s governor at the start of each legislative year to outline policy goals and priorities for both lawmakers and residents. Disagreements between Democratic leadership in Albany—including Governor Kathy Hochul—and members of the Republican conference like Senator Ortt are common during these sessions.
