Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado said Tuesday that he is ending his campaign for governor — clearing the path for Gov. Kathy Hochul to run unopposed in the June Democratic primary.
In a Feb. 10 statement, Delgado said he had concluded there was “no viable path forward” in his Democratic primary challenge to Hochul this June. The announcement came just a week after Delgado had tapped former Buffalo mayoral candidate India Walton as his running mate in the primary.
“I’ve decided to end my campaign for governor of New York,” Delgado said. “After much consideration, I’ve concluded that there simply is no viable path forward. And though my campaign has come to an end, I fully intend to do all I can in our effort to build a more humane, affordable and equitable state that serves all New Yorkers.”
The decision came as Hochul has moved to solidify her own ticket. Last week, the governor selected former New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, a Queens Democrat, as her running mate.
That announcement came before the state Democratic Party nominated Hochul for another term as governor at their convention in Syracuse. As a result, Delgado would have been required to secure enough petitions statewide in order to make the primary ballot.
Before Delgado’s announcement, Hochul brushed aside reports that multiple candidates had turned down the lieutenant governor’s job during an unrelated press conference on Tuesday morning.
‘“I offered it to one person, one person, except that a lot of people approached us, and the question to them was, you want to put your name through the background check for the vetting that we’re going to be doing?” Hochul. “Some people wanted to. Some people did. That’s all I’m going to say. So I offered it to one person. One person accepted.”
Recent Siena College polling had also shown Delgado facing steep odds. Among registered Democrats, Hochul led him 64% to 11% in a hypothetical primary matchup, her strongest showing against him to date.
Following Delgado’s announcement, the Hochul campaign highlighted its focus on party unity and the broader stakes of the general election, rather than directly commenting on his exit. Communications director Sarafina Chitika released a statement emphasizing the governor’s agenda and readiness to face Republican challengers:
“Governor Hochul has spent all year uniting her big-tent party around a vision for affordability and safety for every New York family. Thanks to her leadership, our campaign and our party are strong and ready to defeat Donald Trump and his enablers up and down the ballot, take back the House, and hand Bruce Blakeman yet another loss this November,” Chitika said.
“Donald Trump and Bruce Blakeman are united in their efforts to raise costs on working families, send masked ICE agents into our streets to terrorize innocent communities, and wage war on New York kids. Our party is now just as united to stop them.”
Delgado thanked supporters, staff and volunteers, saying he did not make the decision lightly “given that so many have poured their belief into our campaign and are desperate to be given a voice.”
He also singled out Walton, a progressive activist who joined the ticket just days earlier.
“A special thanks to India Walton, who joined this campaign because she shares this vision and I know will also continue working toward it,” he said.
Walton called her selection as Delgado’s running mate “the most unexpected and huge honor,” adding, “I’m sure this is not the last folks will hear from team Delgado/Walton!”
Delgado said he would remain active in Democratic politics and continue in his current role, pledging to support efforts “to hold the line against Trump and take back our democracy.”
“Ultimately, this decision for me comes down to my belief that to walk with purpose is to walk with love,” he said. “That is the same spirit I will carry with me as I continue to serve the people of New York as lieutenant governor.”
Without primary competition, the Hochul-Adams ticket can now focus its attention on the November general election, when it will face the Republican gubernatorial nominee and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman and his lieutenant governor nominee, Madison County Sheriff Todd Hood.
