New York Lt. Gov. Anthony Delgado has launched a campaign to run for governor in 2026 and unseat incumbent Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul. Delgado, who announced in February that he would not seek another term as lieutenant governor, shared his gubernatorial campaign announcement on Monday, June 2, after speaking at Mt. Ollie Baptist Church in Brooklyn on Sunday, June 1, about “a better future for our kids and communities.”

 

In a short video campaign message aimed at delivering “bold, transformational change for New Yorkers” of around a minute and a half long, Delgado is described by a narrator as the son of working class parents, born and raised in New York, a Colgate University attendee, an Oxford and Harvard Law School graduate, a hip hop artist and man of faith.

 

“When I was growing up in Schenectady. I started off watching my parents, cutting coupons, putting clothes on layaway [through a payment plan offered by a retailer],” Delgado is then heard saying. “Education was everything. They worked us up into the middle class. Kids growing up had a more likely chance of success than their parents; not so much the case now.”

 

He continued, “It’s love of family, it’s love of community, it’s love of state, it’s love of country, and I’m dedicated. That’s why I’m running for governor of New York. What we need right here in New York is bold, decisive, transformational leadership. We need a vision for housing. You know, housing should not be the playground of corporate power. We need a vision for health care. Let’s make sure we get universal health care, a vision for child care that has universal pre K statewide.”

The lieutenant governor continued, “It’s important for us to believe that democracy can work for the people. There’s a reason why we are at the center of the Trump administration’s attack. We represent everything they want to tear down. But let’s not drop the ball on figuring out what it is we’re fighting for. We believe in facts, truth, liberty, the rule of law, and justice for all. Listen, the powerful and well connected have their champions. I’m running for governor to be yours.”

 

Hochul’s support within the Bronx Democratic Party appeared strong when she appeared during a campaign visit in the borough last September for a event in support of the Harris Walz presidential ticket. As reported, introducing her at that time, Bronx Democratic Party Chair and State Sen. Jamaal Bailey (S.D.36) said, “Speaking of someone who is busting her proverbial tail to get where she is, we’re looking to make “herstory” in the country, but we’ve made it in New York State. Number 57 is not just Heinz ketchup.”

 

Hochul is New York’s 57th governor and first female governor. “I don’t like ketchup, but I like our governor because she’s not been a stranger to The Bronx, but other people have,” Bailey continued. “Since she was a lieutenant governor, she has consistently invested not just in political speeches and ribbon cuttings, but in the people and in the fabric of The Bronx.” He went on to credit Hochul for having visited The Bronx when he said it wasn’t popular to do so.

More recently, the governor was back in The Bronx in February to announce a State investment of $20 million for Greater Morris Park after the neighborhood was announced as the New York City winner of the eighth round of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) and the third round of the NY Forward program.

 

Hochul said at the time she looked forward to coming back to announce the final selected project, after the required review process and to “get them shovels in the ground.” She said coming from Buffalo, she understood what it meant to come from “a community that sometimes is a little knocked down.” She added, “It just gives you that sense of confidence that you matter, that people believe in you and just as I do believe in this community.”

 

Reacting to the news, Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson described the funding as a significant investment in The Bronx, and a huge win for the borough. She thanked “the governor’s continued leadership in recognizing that The Bronx is a thriving economic generator” that Gibson said will continue to create job growth and career opportunities for its residents.

 

“Let me acknowledge our incredible Gov. Kathy Hochul for her leadership, for believing in The Bronx, and coming to deliver for us,” she said at the time. She added in part, “We are excited to see this $20 million financial commitment and are grateful for our Bronx Economic Development Corporation (BXEDC) team, led by our President Rob Walsh, our Bronx Tourism Council, and our Planning & Development team.”

 

Meanwhile, Nick Reisman from Politico posted on X on Monday, June 3, comments reportedly received from Assemblyman and NYS Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie (A.D. 83) on Delgado’s gubernatorial announcement. Heastie reportedly broadly said anyone had the right to run for public office but added that what should be the priority for Democrats was unifying and pushing back on the Trump administration’s policies. His full reported remarks are attached below.

 

Nonetheless, the governor has had her challenges in the past from within her own ranks, notably from Attorney General Letitia James, who ultimately decided not to proceed with a former gubernatorial run in 2021. In May 2024, comments Hochul made while speaking at an AI event in California about Bronx children’s IT knowledge were later rebuked by Gibson. Hochul later apologized for her choice of words, explaining she was referring to the need for more IT resources for Bronx students.

 

“While I recognize that Governor Hochul misspoke in framing her remarks, it’s disappointing and hurtful to hear,” Gibson said in part at the time. “As a borough, let me share with you all the ambition, brilliance, and talents of our scholars. Our African American young children are bright and are beacons of hope. When we see them excel and shine, we see our future.”

The governor was also present in The Bronx for the announcement of $200 million in State and City funding in support of the Kingsbridge Armory redevelopment RFP in September 2023, as reported. The ULURP process is currently underway, as reported.

 

State Sen. Gustavo Rivera (S.D. 33), meanwhile, has tussled with the governor over healthcare legislation and more recently over the handling of the State homecare program transition. However, Rivera was credited by Hochul during her remarks at the Armory funding announcement in 2023 with turning what she said had been an annual State loan earmarked for the project into a grant. We later asked the senator how that came about.

 

He said, “It was a conversation between the City and State. A couple of years ago, it was a battle with the former [State administration] to be able to secure a chunk of money with the recommendation that the last project [the Kingsbridge National Ice Center] required a boost and so we did that.”

 

Around that time, Rivera, in turn, credited Hochul, on taking office, for ensuring that the earmarked funds remained in the budget for the armory and acknowledged that it was needed and that it would strictly be used for the armory site alone.

 

Meanwhile, on June 2, speaking on MSNBC, Hochul said proposed federal cuts by the Trump administration to Medicare would strip $3 billion from New York hospitals.

 

Federal charges against Hochul’s former lieutenant governor, Brian Benjamin, for alleged campaign finance corruption were dropped in January after a Bronx-born key witness in the case died. Meanwhile, former Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo, with whom Hochul served as lieutenant governor prior to his resignation amid a sexual harassment scandal in August 2021, in which he pleaded his innocence, is currently running for mayor, as reported, and is backed by Rep. Ritchie Torres (NY-15).

Following the announcement by the U.S. Justice Department on Jan. 26, that it had settled a legal dispute with NY State’s executive chamber (governor’s office) to resolve the justice department’s claims that the same executive chamber, under Cuomo, had engaged in a pattern or practice of sexual harassment and retaliation, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the former governor had reportedly asked former U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland to look into what he called a “conflicted” agreement over allegations of sexual harassment.

 

Since there is now a Republican attorney general, Pam Bondi, in charge, we’ve asked the DOJ for an update and will share any details we receive.

 

Cuomo testified before Congress last year in relation to actions taken during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Hochul beat Republican, Lee Zeldin, now administrator of the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) in the Trump administration, with 53.1% of the vote during a nasty general election season in 2022.

 

She won the Democratic Primary earlier that year with 67.4%, overcoming challengers, public advocate Jumaane Williams, who won around 19.3% of the vote, and Congressman Tom Suozzi (NY-3) who won around 13%.