New York Gov. Kathy Hochul Is Getting Primaried By Her Deputy

Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado is launching a campaign against his current boss — citing a lack of "decisive" leadership.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is facing a primary challenge from a somewhat unexpected source: one-time ally and current deputy Antonio Delgado.

Delgado, New York’s lieutenant governor, announced on Monday that he intends to challenge Hochul in the upcoming 2026 Democratic primary and stressed the need for “bold, decisive, transformational leadership” in a campaign video.

Delgado’s move underscores a sharp break with Hochul, who appointed him to his current role in May 2022. The two moderates ran on the same ticket in the 2022 election, but they have had a series of public rifts in the years since. In February, Delgado announced that he wouldn’t be running alongside Hochul in 2026, fueling speculation about a potential primary challenge.

“I haven’t seen a vision,” Delgado told The New York Times on Monday. “I haven’t seen a decisive leadership that is cleareyed.”

Hochul has been New York’s governor since 2021, taking on the role after former Gov. Andrew Cuomo resigned following sexual harassment allegations. During her tenure, she’s been known for launching a universal school meal program, implementing a congestion pricing policy in Manhattan and rolling back progressive bail reforms. Delgado was previously a member of Congress before resigning to become Hochul’s deputy; he was also a Rhodes Scholar and hip-hop artist.