What Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado says led to him challenging Hochul in 2026
ALBANY — When Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado agreed to leave Congress to join Gov. Kathy Hochul’s team, he expected to be in the room with the governor to help make key decisions that would guide her administration.
“She assured me that I would be,” Delgado said, explaining his decision to challenge Hochul in next year’s Democratic primary for governor.
In a lengthy interview with the Times Union’s Capitol Confidential podcast this week, he said is excited about the prospect of transforming the position of lieutenant governor, which has traditionally served as little more than a surrogate of the governor.
Lt. Gov. Delgado criticizes Hochul for ‘failed’ CDPAP transition
Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado further aligned himself Wednesday with disgruntled advocates and users of the state’s Medicaid-funded Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program, calling the ongoing transition of the home care program to a private contractor a “failure of leadership” under Gov. Kathy Hochul.
Delgado, who is challenging Hochul in the 2026 Democratic primary, did not shy away from criticizing the governor during a rally outside the Latham headquarters of Public Partnerships LLC, the state’s new vendor overseeing the home care program. He added he has not spoken to Hochul on this matter or any others in months.