2026 New York state comptroller election
Who is running for New York comptroller?
Drew Warshaw and Raj Goyle are battling it out to unseat incumbent Tom DiNapoli.
From left: state comptroller candidates Drew Warshaw and Raj Goyle and incumbent Comptroller Tom DiNapoli Will Waldron/Albany Times Union/Getty Images, Roy Rochlin/Getty Images, Manoli Figetakis/Getty Images
This year, it seems like everyone in New York is getting primaried. Races for U.S. House and state Legislature are all heating up as progressives battle it out amongst themselves and incumbents try to ward off fresh-faced challengers. And the Democratic primary for New York comptroller has improbably become a marquee contest, with two progressives trying to end a nearly 20-year reign. But… what does the state comptroller actually do?
The comptroller’s primary responsibility is to manage the state’s pension fund – an investment portfolio of retirement savings for the state’s over 1 million public employees. Beyond that, the office acts as an independent watchdog for the government by conducting regular audits of local and state agencies to uncover any potential abuse and ensure efficiency. They also manage and issue the state debt, and issue an annual report on the condition of the state’s finances. And, as a fun side quest, they return unclaimed funds from old bank accounts and uncashed checks to New Yorkers.
Since Tom DiNapoli assumed the office in 2007, the race for state comptroller every four years has been a snoozefest with DiNapoli going unchallenged by his fellow Democrats for the past four election cycles. This year is different, though, with two progressive candidates – former Kansas legislator Raj Goyle and a former affordable housing nonprofit executive Drew Warshaw – vying to end DiNapoli’s nearly two-decade long tenure.
Early voting began on June 13 and ends on June 21, with the primary election taking place on June 23. All New York state voters who are registered Democrats can vote in the primary election. The winner will face Republican Joseph Hernandez later this year for the general election on Nov. 3.
Tom DiNapoli
His ideological stance in brief: An under-the radar establishment Dem who has stewarded the state portfolio without too much ideology, growing the state pension fund to $295 billion from $140 billion in 2007.
Major endorsements: Gov. Kathy Hochul, labor unions including the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council and 32BJ SEIU, state Attorney General Letitia James, Reps. Jerry Nadler, Pat Ryan and Gregory Meeks
Fundraising: $1.4 million in the bank, with about $2.2 million private funds received since January 2025 and $2.3 million public funds
Where’s home? Born and raised Long Islander currently living in Nassau County
Why he’ll win: With nearly two decades in office and two opponents splitting the progressive vote, DiNapoli has an incumbent advantage along with several high-profile endorsements that voters will recognize – even if they aren’t exactly familiar with him.
Why he won’t: DiNapoli has invested hundreds of millions of dollars from the state’s pension fund into the ICE-linked AI company Palantir, luxury real estate-funding private equity companies and Israel bonds – all of which have become controversial this primary cycle.
What’s his deal? Since assuming the position of state comptroller in 2007, DiNapoli has never had a primary challenge during his 19 years in office. He inherited the New York State Common Retirement Fund when it was valued at $140 billion, and has since grown the fund to a record high of $295 billion.
Despite his many years in office, though, a March Siena poll found that two-thirds of New Yorkers were unfamiliar with him. Being the state comptroller is not necessarily a glamorous job, which Napoli reminded his two challengers during a televised debate, saying that his opponents wanted to “ascribe powers to the state comptroller like you’re the president, head of the U.N. and the pope.” But New York is one of the few states that even has a comptroller’s office, and the state’s office has the most expansive jurisdiction in the country. Despite New Yorkers pride in being different and quirky, most of them have no idea what a comptroller is or what makes a good one.
Still, anti-incumbent fever is running rampant throughout the state. And with issues like divesting from Israel and institutions with ties to ICE gaining traction, voters may not necessarily appreciate DiNapoli’s investments and his belief that divestment is “always a last resort.” His opponents are hoping to capitalize on the excitement Mayor Zohran Mamdani brought out in young, progressive voters who are hoping to change the status quo. The million dollar question, though, is if those same voters care enough about the office of the state comptroller to turn out.
Further reading:
DiNapoli gets a super PAC
Comptroller Tom DiNapoli ‘not daunted’ by primary challengers
DiNapoli to fundraise from Republicans day before Dem convention
Raj Goyle
His ideological stance in brief: New guy in town, wants to divest the state’s retirement fund portfolio from Israel bonds and Palantir.
Major endorsements: Reps. Ro Khanna and Pramila Jayapal, Sunrise Movement NYC
Fundraising: $522,000 in the bank, with about $2 million private funds received since July 2025 and nearly $2 million public funds.
Where’s home?: Cleveland by way of India but he currently lives in Tribeca – down the street from his opponent Drew Warshaw
Why he’ll win: With an extremely progressive platform and government experience, he appeals to a fresher voter base.
Why he won’t: Due to another primary candidate being equally as progressive, they will most likely split the vote.
What’s his deal? Former Kansas representative turned nonprofit founder, Raj Goyle has had an interesting career trajectory. His move to New York City to work for the Rubin Foundation led to him starting and selling his own company in the data and AI field. Afterwards as nonprofit chair of Phone Free New York, he advocated for the current “bell-to-bell” ban, banning cell phones from classrooms during the school day. He’s also a former co-chair of the civic think tank the 5BORO Institute, which focuses on policy solutions for challenges faced by New York City. That is about the extent of Goyle's involvement in New York politics. His pursuit of state office as comptroller seems slightly random as Goyle does not have much experience in financial management besides starting his own business. That’s a far cry from managing a $300 billion dollar pension fund for over a million New Yorkers.
Goyle’s very progressive platform is both a boon and a vulnerability for his campaign. He shares most of his progressive platform with his fellow candidate and old friend, Drew Warshaw. Both believe in divesting from Israel bonds, both believe in stopping investment into Palantir due to their role in facilitating surveillance for ICE and divesting from fossil fuels. This may lead to both candidates splitting the progressive vote which would certainly hand the election over to DiNapoli.
Further reading:
Progressive wars: Raj Goyle claims support from trans activist who endorsed Drew Warshaw
Will the real progressive please stand up in the race for state comptroller?
Raj Goyle isn’t in Kansas anymore
Goyle gets national South Asian support for comptroller bid
Drew Warshaw
His ideological stance in brief: Wants to hold Wall Street accountable and divest the state pension fund from all foreign bonds.
Major endorsements: Assembly candidates Brian Romero and Lydia Green, IATSE 4,
Fundraising: $498,000 in the bank, with about $2.3 million private funds received since January 2025 and $1.1 million public funds
Where’s home? Grew up around Harlem and now lives in Tribeca
Why he’ll win: He has a strong affordable housing agenda and the experience to back it up, but…
Why he won’t: … DiNapoli has the fundraising and 20 years of political capital to back him up.
What’s his deal? As the former head of an affordable housing nonprofit, Warshaw has said he would leverage state pension funds to finance affordable housing. He was the first to launch a challenge to DiNapoli, saying the power of the office was being totally underutilized. Warshaw’s not unfamiliar with state governments or big agencies. He was previously an aide to Gov. Eliot Spitzer and later served as former Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Executive Director Chris Ward’s chief of staff before taking jobs in the renewable energy and affordable housing sectors.
Warshaw has alleged that too much of the state comptroller’s resources go to pay the overpriced bankers who manage the pension funds. He’s said he would fire them and use the money saved to invest in affordable housing instead.
Drawing on his experience in the green energy sector, Warshaw has also pitched investing state pension funds in utilities with the goal of bringing down energy costs for New Yorkers.
As the race has heated up, Warshaw has struggled to differentiate himself from Goyle who’s competing for the left lane and attracting some high-profile endorsements.
Further reading:
Drew Warshaw wants to ‘cut out the Wall Street middlemen’ managing state pensions
Warshaw seeks to bump comptroller race opponents from the ballot