Delgado on his gubernatorial bid against Hochul

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado announced he’s running for governor. This comes after he declared earlier this year, that he would not be seeking reelection for his current position.

As a guest on Empire State Weekly, Delgado spoke with political reporter Jamie DeLine and anchor John Gray about his decision to run against his boss, Governor Kathy Hochul. 

When asked why the timing was right to announce his candidacy, Delgado said, "I think it’s very important to make sure I have the ability to get out there and connect with folks in a real way, in my own voice, and do so in a fashion where I’ll be able to really listen and engage with folks and hear what they care about and learn the different ways I can really deliver."

If he were to become governor, Delgado said affordable housing, universal health care, and universal child care would be among his top priorities.

However, in order to hold that position, Delgado would have to beat out Governor Kathy Hochul in next year’s Democratic primary. 

According to Delgado, he did not speak to Hochul about wanting to run for governor.

"We have not spoken in a little while, even going back so far as when I said I didn’t have any intention of running again for reelection and would be exploring my options. So, it’s been a while since we’ve actually had a chance to communicate."

Despite that lack of communication, Delgado said he’s still doing the job as lieutenant governor and intends to stay in the position for the duration of his term.

When asked what happened to breakdown his relationship with the governor, Delgado said, "At the end of the day, as a partner you want to feel like there’s a process to how decisions are made. You want to feel a part of that process. Particularly if there was an understanding that would be the case, and ultimately that wasn’t the case."

Governor Hochul’s campaign office hasn’t commented on Delgado's candidacy, but they did share this statement from the Democratic Governors Association saying it is, “…100 percent behind Governor Hochul as she continues to deliver for New York, take on Donald Trump, and build the operation it will take to beat Republicans up and down the ballot in 2026."

You can watch the full interview with Delgado including his response to a recent Siena Poll this Sunday on Empire State Weekly.