Gov. Kathy Hochul is poised to select her third running mate in five years.

The decision is coming down to the wire, as sources tell NY1 the announcement is expected next week when the governor is officially selected by state Democratic Party delegates as their choice to lead them for the next four years.

What You Need To Know

The decision is coming down to the wire, as sources tell NY1 the announcement is expected next week when the governor is officially selected by state Democratic Party delegates as their choice to lead them for the next four years

But she’s already been turned down, according to sources familiar with the search, by Queens Borough President Donovan Richards — a longtime ally, whose current term is up in 2030. He declined the offer within the last month

Gov. Kathy Hochul’s list also includes: Walter Mosley, NYS Secretary of State; Robert Rodriguez the state dormitory authority’s President; Eric Gonzalez, Brooklyn district attorney; Jamaal Bailey, a state senator from the Bronx; and Brian Cunningham, a Brooklyn state assemblyman

“It’s definitely like looking for someone who wants a job as being kind of like Kathy Hochul’s hype-person,” Ryan Adams, a political consultant at Actum, said.

But Hochul might be having some difficulty in filling the role, as NY1 has learned she’s already been told by some contenders they’re not interested. It will be Hochul’s third lieutenant governor pick in five years, after Brian Benjamin resigned following a federal indictment and since her relationship with current lieutenant governor, Antonio Delgado, frayed so badly that he’s now challenging her for her job in a June primary. 

“Look for someone downstate, maybe a male, someone of color. I mean, all the things that she’s not can provide some balance,” Lee Miringoff, director of the Marist University Institute for Public Opinion, said.

“Someone she thinks can provide some balance in the short run. Do no damage, do no harm and not take any of the spotlight away from her. Which is why it’s probably not all that big an attraction for somebody else who has something else to do,” he added.

But she’s already been turned down, according to sources familiar with the search, by Queens Borough President Donovan Richards — a longtime ally whose current term is up in 2030.

He declined the offer within the last month.

According to sources, the pair maintains a strong relationship.

Hochul’s list also includes: Walter Mosley, NYS secretary of state; Robert Rodriguez, the state dormitory authority’s president; Eric Gonzalez, Brooklyn district attorney; Jamaal Bailey, a state senator from the Bronx; and Brian Cunningham, a Brooklyn state assemblyman.

“If the governor asked, obviously, I think an opportunity to serve the state is something I would always say yes to,” Cunningham told NY1 in an interview.

“She is going to continue to double down and make sure all New Yorkers are safe, whether it’s helping the mayor of New York City deliver on affordability and child care,” he added.

Bailey also declined the governor’s job offer, sources confirmed.

Mosley told NY1 via text message he’s “been asked to move forward with the final vetting process,” but would not say whether he’s been offered the job.

After publication time of this article, Hochul campaign spokeswoman Sarafina Chitika told NY1 in a statement that Hochul “is committed to selecting a strong partner and proven leader to serve as her running mate — a champion for New York families who shares her commitment to lowering costs and standing up to the MAGA movement.”

“We look forward to announcing her pick to become New York’s next Lieutenant Governor at the convention,” she added.

“The history of lieutenant governors is not a pretty one in New York,” Miringoff said.

Hochul was nearly dropped from the ticket by Andrew Cuomo in 2022.

George Pataki did just that in 1998 — cutting Betsy McCaughey Ross from the Republican ticket. However, she then switched parties and ran for governor.

In 1972, Mario Cuomo was forced to take on Al DelBello, who wasn’t his choice for lieutenant governor. DelBello quit after two years.

“You end up maybe being governor, but only in the worst, the most unusual circumstances. So for someone who has a political base, or at least has some things that they are interested in accomplishing, it becomes not particularly attractive,” Miringoff said.

Hochul also faces political calculations.

“If Donald Trump decides to send ICE stalking up Roosevelt Avenue, who is going to be the person who helps me navigate that, who is going to be the person who helps me reach out to the unions to get them organized, to get local community groups calmed down, to work with the mayor,” Adams told NY1.

Meanwhile, Delgado had some advice for the next lieutenant governor. “If she makes any promises, get them in writing,” he wrote in a text message to NY1.