Hochul to attend SOTU as guest of Espaillat

NEW YORK — Gov. Kathy Hochul will attend President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address on Thursday night, invited by Rep. Adriano Espaillat of Manhattan, POLITICO has learned.

Hochul will travel to the U.S. Capitol as Espaillat’s guest to highlight Women’s History Month, as well as a state and federal partnership on major projects like the Second Avenue subway extension, his team said.

The governor’s team also confirmed her plans.

The governor’s presence at the closely watched primetime speech — Biden’s last State of the Union address before he stands for reelection in November — comes amid her higher profile as a face of the Democrats nationally. She has been increasingly serving as a surrogate for Biden as he runs for reelection this year.

Hochul and Espaillat are also longtime friends, and the governor recently promoted an Espaillat protege, Angel Vasquez, to deputy secretary for intergovernmental affairs.

Other guests to the SOTU include the two NYPD officers attacked by migrants in Times Square in late January, who will be brought by Republican Reps. Anthony D’Esposito and Nicole Malliotakis. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries invited Kevin Meggett of Black Veterans for Social Justice.