Governor Kathy Hochul is on her own. Former Lt. Governor, then accidental Governor, and now currently elected Governor lost her running mate Lt. Gov. Anthony Delgado. He did not resign, he just said he wouldn’t be running with Hochul in 2026.
Delgado made the announcement on X/Twitter saying, “I have decided not to run for reelection with the Governor in 2026. I remain deeply committed to finishing my full term, as I was independently elected to do, by the people of New York.”
New York’s Lt. Gov. may be a dull, ceremonial, even boring job, but it is the highest-paying Lt. Gov. position in the country, at $220,000. Not a bad salary for cutting ribbons around the state.
Discord between Hochul and Delgado has been growing for months and now the breakup is official.
Delgado did not provide a specific reason for his decision but did take a jab at Hochul in his statement saying he believes New York, “needed more leaders in government willing to hold themselves accountable to the people - and only the people. I believe New Yorkers deserve this kind of leadership now more than ever.”
Hochul has a rough track record with her picks for Lt. Gov. Her former Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin resigned after he was arrested on federal corruption charges.
At the time, US Attorney Damian Williams said, “As alleged, Brian Benjamin used his power as New York state senator to secure a state-funded grant in exchange for contributions to his own political campaign.” Charges were later dropped when a key witness died and the prosecution chose not to go forward with the trial.
Before becoming Lt. Gov., Delgado was a one-term Congressman representing the Hudson Valley and the Catskills.
“Serving the people of New York is a privilege I don't take lightly. I am determined to be your voice in state government now and in the future. All options are on the table, and I will be exploring them,” said Delgado.
Hochul wasted no time clapping back at Delgado. “Today, Antonio Delgado finally said out loud what has been obvious for quite some time: he is simply not interested in doing the job of the Lieutenant Governor of the State of New York. Governor Hochul had already begun taking steps to identify a new running mate for 2026,” Hochul’s communications director, Anthony Hogrebe, said in a statement.
The governor’s office would start handing off Delgado’s responsibilities to someone else, to make sure the job is “no longer neglected,” said Hogrebe.