N.Y. Gov. Hochul picks Rep. Antonio Delgado as new Lieutenant Governor
ALBANY — Gov. Hochul has a new right-hand man.
A day after Albany lawmakers cleared a path for the Democratic governor to handpick a replacement running mate following the indictment and resignation of Brian Benjamin, Hochul named Rep. Antonio Delgado as her new lieutenant governor.
Delgado received unanimous support Tuesday morning from the seven-member committee to fill vacancies tasked with naming a substitute for Benjamin on the June 28 primary ballot.
“He’s the right person for the job,” Hochul said during an afternoon press conference at the State Capitol. “I know that he’ll work for every New Yorker, upstate and downstate, because he is a New Yorker through and through.”
A Harvard Law grad and Rhodes scholar, Delgado defeated one-term Republican Rep. John Faso in 2018 and won reelection to the 19th Congressional district two years ago. The Hudson Valley district covers much of the Catskills and rural areas surrounding the Capital Region.
Delgado, raised in upstate Schenectady and now living in Rhinebeck with his wife and twin sons, will resign from Congress and be sworn in sometime later this month, Hochul said.
The lieutenant governor position is a largely ceremonial role with few defined responsibilities outside of occasionally presiding over the state Senate. Hochul served in the position for seven years while disgraced former governor Andrew Cuomo was in office.
Delgado said he’s ready to make the switch from Washington to Albany.
“As we embark on this journey together I look forward to connecting with diverse communities all across New York,” he said as he joined Hochul at the Capitol. “I look forward to building meaningful relationships, to tapping into the goodness of our collective power.”
The 45-year-old is seen as a relatively safe choice for Hochul as she seeks to steady herself and her campaign following the political bombshell of Benjamin’s arrest early last month.
Benjamin was charged with bribery, fraud and falsifying records for allegedly steering a $50,000 grant when he was a state senator to a nonprofit run by a Harlem real estate developer in exchange for donations to his failed city comptroller campaign.
Hochul claims she was caught off guard by the scandal that ensnared her first lieutenant governor despite ethical questions raised by the Daily News and other outlets long before his appointment.
The governor has taken heat from political opponents for not thoroughly vetting Benjamin but said she made the best decision she could “based on the information I had at the time” when appointing him last year.
On Monday, the Dem-led Legislature handed Hochul a political gift by approving a controversial bill allowing a candidate to remove their name from the ballot if they’ve been arrested or are facing criminal charges.
Despite ending his campaign, Benjamin’s name was slated to still appear on the Democratic primary ballot in June since he was nominated by the party earlier this year.
The bill approved on Monday enabled the former Harlem state senator to take his name off the ballot and a committee on vacancies made up of top New York Democrats, including party chairman Jay Jacobs and former City Council speaker Christine Quinn, were able to swap in Delgado’s name.
Now Delgado will appear on the ballot in the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor against former City Council member Diana Reyna, running alongside gubernatorial candidate Rep.Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.) and Ana Maria Archila, running with city public advocate Jumaane Williams.
Hochul is seeking a full term in office after replacing Cuomo, who resigned last summer despite proclaiming his innocence following sexual harassment allegations made against him by staffers.
Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay (R-Oswego) castigated Democrats for assisting Hochul in clearing Benjamin from the ballot.
“The appointment of Rep. Antonio Delgado as lieutenant governor completes the shameless political maneuvering Democrats have engaged in since the corruption arrest of Brian Benjamin,” he said. “New York Democrats have done everything they can to alter election rules mid-stream, change state law to work to their benefit and avoid any consequence for the governor’s egregious decision.”
The work of the Legislature and Delgado’s appointment comes just days before ballots are slated to be finalized for the June primary contest.
While many criticized the process and political maneuverings Hochul’s new pick for lieutenant governor garnered high praise from labor leaders and Dem lawmakers.
New York State AFL-CIO president Mario Cilento said the governor’s choice will “make our state and her administration even stronger.”
“During his time in Congress, Antonio has shown by action, not just words, that he understands the needs of union members and their families, achieving a 100% lifetime AFL-CIO voting record,” Cilento said.
Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D-Yonkers) said she respected the governor’s decision — but steered clear of commenting on whether pulling Delgado from Congress could impact Democrats’ ability to retain control of the House in November.
“I think that Congressman Delgado is a good choice,” she said. “He seems to be someone who could certainly represent what Democrats stand for well.
“I’m sure the governor has chosen a running mate that she feels will be helpful in terms of making a successful ticket,” Stewart-Cousins added.
