On Tuesday, New York State Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado announced that he is stepping back from his gubernatorial campaign, stating he has “concluded there is no viable path forward.” This decision comes just days after New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani endorsed Delgado’s superior, Governor Cathy Hochul, for re-election. Essentially, Delgado was expected to challenge Hochul in the upcoming Democratic primary.
In his statement, Delgado shared, “I have decided to end my campaign for Governor of New York. After much consideration, I have concluded that there is no possible path forward.” He further emphasized that even though his campaign is closing, he remains committed to creating a fairer, more affordable New York, one that serves all its residents and aims to restore democracy while sidestepping conflict with Trump.
Following Delgado’s announcement, Sarafina Titica, Hochul’s campaign communications director, remarked that “Governor Hochul has spent a year uniting the big tent party around his vision of providing affordability and security to every family in New York.” She expressed confidence that their campaign is strong and ready to face challenges, including those posed by Trump.
Last week, Delgado appointed former Buffalo mayoral candidate India Walton, representing the Democratic Socialists of America, as his running mate to bolster support among progressive voters. Delgado’s move to run for governor was a rare one, as it’s not typical for a lieutenant governor to challenge a sitting governor.
Hochul had previously supported Mamdani in his bid for mayor against former Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa during last year’s general election. The landscape of the gubernatorial race is shifting, and these developments will likely have implications moving forward.
