Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) was feeling the heat ahead of her State of the State address Tuesday.

All eyes were on the governor of New York as she laid out her plans for the state, unfolding against the backdrop of a migrant crisis roiling the state’s largest city, surging crime, and high housing costs. Those fights are happening while New York takes center stage in the contest for control of the House of Representatives.

“The road to a Democratic Congress absolutely runs through New York, and we embrace that challenge and opportunity,” Hochul told Sirius XM’s POTUS Politics last month. “And I’ll look forward to, one year from now, making sure that Hakeem Jeffries becomes the speaker of the House of Representatives.”

New York played a crucial role in the 2022 midterm elections that handed control of the House of Representatives back to Republicans. This year, Democrats are positioned to flip the script and win back at least one, if not all five, of the seats they lost in the last cycle, and possibly give Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) a majority in the lower chamber.

How Hochul fares in tough fights with her own party back home could have knock-on effects for the races that send representatives to Washington.

Hochul is preparing for tough negotiations with the Democratic-dominated legislature over housing affordability and tax increases.

Democratic lawmakers are pushing for increased taxes on affluent New Yorkers, despite Hochul’s previous commitment to avoid raising taxes. She also turned down earlier attempts to implement higher taxes on the wealthiest individuals in the state.

“We have to make sure that we live within our means right now,” Hochul said earlier this year. “And not do anything that has people contributing to the tax base not be here any longer. And I’m very focused on making sure we can continue with no disruption of [the] high-quality services we provide. They need to be funded. And making sure that the people who fund them remain important to me too. So, I’m not going to be raising taxes.”

Republicans and Democrats will be paying close attention to how she will navigate the balancing act of appealing to her liberal base while managing the electoral concerns of House Democratic candidates in an effort to regain control of Congress. 

This week, Hochul unveiled some key parts of her agenda by taking measures to address retail theft and revamp literacy education, 7News reported. 

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Previously, Hochul’s housing proposal faced criticism from suburban regions that were crucial for Democrats who were attempting to reclaim control of the House, meaning any future discussions with Democrats on the matter will be critical. 

Hochul could also face negotiation difficulties with fellow Democrats over public safety, a topic concerning New York voters. She has supported tougher bail laws in the past, despite facing intense Democratic opposition.