New York Gov. Kathy Hochul moves to strip Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado of office space. Here's why.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is moving to strip her lieutenant governor, Antonio Delgado, of much of his office space after he hinted at a primary challenge to her next year.
Hochul has banished him from his office on the same floor as hers in the state Capitol in Albany. She also took away his offices in New York City and the Hudson Valley, confiscated his state-issued electronic devices and is reassigning much of his staff.
It's all because he's hinted at challenging her for reelection.
Pundits say this is Hochul's latest display of toughness, a steeliness she's exhibited in dealing with President Trump and his decisions to kill congestion pricing and to cut aid programs New Yorkers hold dear.
"I think this is her way of saying, 'Look, this is my fiefdom. I'm in charge. You were my pick, you know. You were my lieutenant governor. I made you,'" said JC Polanco, assistant professor at the University of Mount Saint Vincent.
Hochul cannot force Delgado out; he was duly elected, so he can, by law, continue to collect his $220,000 a year salary, which makes him the highest paid lieutenant governor in the country.
Delgado not running for reelection with Hochul in 2026
In recent days, he's made no bones about the fact that he and Hochul don't see eye-to-eye.
"For me, it's very, very important for New Yorkers to know that I am their voice, that I want to be their voice and that is the only thing that I am beholden to, is the people," Delgado said during a recent interview with CBS6 in Albany.
Delgado has broken with Hochul on a number of key policy issues. He called for former President Joe Biden to step aside while Hochul was supporting him, and he called for Mayor Eric Adams to resign as Hochul was taking steps to keep him in office.
In a statement Monday, Delgado announced he will not be running for reelection alongside Hochul in 2026.
"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," Delgado wrote.
The statement concluded, "All options are on the table, and I will be exploring them."
A representative for Hochul's office released the following statement in response:
"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. Governor Hochul had already begun taking steps to identify a new running mate for 2026. 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. Governor Hochul wishes him the best in his future endeavors."
The lieutenant governor sent CBS News New York political reporter Marcia Kramer a statement saying he is "deeply committed" to serving the people of New York and being their voice in state government.
If Delgado does run against Hochul, he may have to get in line. Bronx Congressman Ritchie Torres has said he's "open to" running for governor, and he has a New York City base in a state where city voters are an important part of the electorate.
