New York Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado on Monday said he won’t run for reelection as Gov. Kathy Hochul’s No. 2 — potentially to try to oust her with his own gubernatorial campaign in 2026.
In a statement posted to X, Delgado hinted at his own possible run for the governor’s mansion, telling New Yorkers he is “determined to be your voice in statement government now and in the future.”
A source close to Delgado told The Post that the lieutenant governor initiated the decision to break from the ticket, but a Hochul-connected source suggested the governor decided a month ago she wouldn’t be running with him next year.
“When I first made the decision to run for office after the 2016 presidential election, I did so because I believed we needed more leaders in government willing to hold themselves accountable to the people — and only the people,” Delgado’s statement said.
Another source said Delgado has been feeling out potential fundraisers in recent weeks, fueling speculation about a potential gubernatorial run.
Delgado’s sudden announcement came after months of public splits with Hochul, including most recently when he called for the resignation of New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
Hochul Communications Director Anthony Hogrebe quickly issued a stinging response to Delgado’s announcement.
“Today, Antonio Delgado finally said out loud what has been obvious for quite some time: he is simply not interested in doing the job of the Lieutenant Governor of the State of New York,” Hogrebe wrote — additionally confirming Hochul had been shopping around for a new 2026 running mate.
“We will also be reallocating responsibilities within the administration to ensure that important initiatives that had been within the Lieutenant Governor’s office are no longer neglected,’’ the rep said.
“Governor Hochul wishes [Delgado] the best in his future endeavors.’’
But Delgado said in his statement, “When I first made the decision to run for office after the 2016 presidential election, I did so because I believed we needed more leaders in government willing to hold themselves accountable to the people — and only the people.
“I believe New Yorkers deserve this kind of leadership now more than ever,’’ he said.
Delgado also had leveled sharp criticism at the embattled Adams earlier this month, accusing him of being deep in President Trump’s pocket.
“New York City deserves a Mayor accountable to the people, not beholden to the President. Mayor Adams should step down,” Delgado fired off in a post on X.
Although he stopped short of calling for Hochul to remove Adams from power — which in recent days she hinted remains on the table — he did say the “first step” would be to call for his resignation.
Delgado also broke with Hochul ahead of last year’s election when he publicly called for former President Joe Biden to drop his re-election bid — a move that stunned a number of party insiders, including one who called it “a big screw you” to the governor.
“I believe we should move forward with a nominee capable of re-invigorating and re-energizing Americans who are determined to protect our democracy, and who want to do so with a candidate they believe can win,” Delgado wrote in a statement in July as he urged Biden to drop out.
The lieutenant governor took the reins as the state’s second-highest executive in 2022 after his predecessor, former Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin, stepped down because of his arrest on corruption and bribery charges.
State Assemblyman Jarett Gandolfo, in a snarky X post in response to Delgado’s announcement Monday, wrote, “Abandon ship!”
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