Albany – Just Out of Reach
Governor Kathy Hochul seems to have entirely sidelined her second-in-command, despite officially being the acting governor, as the political drama unfolds. Earlier this week, Lt. Col. Antonio Delgado disclosed during a campaign event in Brooklyn that he hadn’t communicated with Hochul for several months.
“It’s been a while. Definitely a few months,” he remarked, hinting at the noticeable distance between them.
Sources from the governor’s office have confirmed that this silence has been mutual, highlighting that Delgado did not acknowledge Hochul when he announced his decision to not run alongside her for governor in 2026.
Delgado mentioned in a recent interview that a noticeable rift formed last year when he publicly urged President Biden to drop his re-election bid—a move that clearly put him at odds with Hochul.
The lack of communication became apparent while Hochul was in Massachusetts for a political meeting, according to a spokesperson.
Interestingly, the state constitution stipulates that when the governor is out of state, the lieutenant governor should assume her responsibilities. However, it appears Hochul’s office is overlooking this clause, leaving Delgado without authority.
“Plain language indicates there’s supposed to be automatic succession when she’s out of state,” noted Cam McDonald, general counsel at the Imperial Public Policy Centre, adding some legal weight to the situation.
This legal grey area is further complicated by revisions made in 1963, suggesting that Hochul might explore legal action over interpretations of this provision regarding her ability to appoint a successor when she is away.
McDonald pointed out that “the language made it a little more gray,” leaving much open to interpretation.
On the flip side, Hochul’s view of the law seems to have shifted since her split with Delgado went public. Back in 2023, she actually instructed him to call for a special election while she was out of state, declaring that “Since Governor Hochul is currently out of New York, Governor Antonio Delgado issued a declaration under the New York State Constitution.”
Delgado went on to sign the declaration for the special election, yet a spokesperson for him did not respond to requests for comments on the current situation.
