The 2014 New York Attorney General election took place on November 4, 2014, to elect the Attorney General of New York. The incumbent Democratic Attorney General Eric Schneiderman won reelection to a second term in office, defeating Republican John P. Cahill.

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2014 New York Attorney General election

← 2010 November 4, 2014 2018 →

Nominee Eric Schneiderman John P. Cahill Party Democratic Republican Alliance Working Families Conservative Popular vote 2,069,956 1,538,990 Percentage 52.7% 39.2%

County results Schneiderman:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Cahill:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

Attorney General before election Eric Schneiderman Democratic Elected Attorney General Eric Schneiderman Democratic

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Incumbent Democratic attorney general Andrew Cuomo declined to run for reelection in 2010, instead successfully running for Governor. State Senator Eric Schneiderman narrowly won the Democratic primary and then won the general election by a wide margin.

In 2014, all statewide offices in New York were held by Democrats. Republicans believed that their best chance of winning a statewide election in 2014 rested on defeating Schneiderman, citing Governor Cuomo's high approval ratings and large campaign war chest and the belief that Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli was unlikely to be vulnerable because "Comptrollers seem to get re-elected as long as they do their jobs."^[1] Schneiderman has used his designation as Republicans' "top target" to raise money.^[2]

Governing did not believe Schneiderman would be defeated in 2014. A March 2013 article listed the 2014 New York attorney general election as "not competitive", citing the high-profile cases Schneiderman had taken on.^[3] A December 2013 article rated the race as "Safe Democratic", stating that "Schneiderman should have no problem winning a second term."^[4]

Besides the Democratic and Republican parties, the Conservative, Green, Independence and Working Families parties all enjoyed automatic ballot access as qualified New York parties in 2014.

Any political party other than the six qualified New York parties (Democratic, Republican, Conservative, Green, Independence and Working Families) was required to petition their way onto the ballot.