Former City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams is Gov. Kathy Hochul’s pick for lieutenant governor, NY1 has learned. 

The choice creates New York’s first all-female ticket and if elected, Adams, a Democrat from Southeast Queens, would become the state’s first Black female lieutenant governor.

“As Donald Trump attacks this state relentlessly and Bruce Blakeman bends the knee before him, I need a fighter in my corner who’ll stand strong for New York families. Adrienne Adams is that fighter,” Hochul said in a statement obtained by NY1.

What You Need To Know

Adrienne Adams is Gov. Kathy Hochul’s pick for lieutenant governor, marking New York’s first all-female Democratic ticket

If elected, Adams would be the state’s first Black female lieutenant governor

Adams has served as NYC Council Speaker, known for her moderate stances and focus on affordable housing and public safety

Adams is her third lieutenant governor pick in five years

Sources familiar with Hochul’s search told NY1 the Buffalo-born governor was searching for a downstate candidate to balance her 2026 ticket and had her eyes on a running mate from New York City.

“I am honored to stand side by side with Gov. Kathy Hochul in her fight for a safe, affordable, and resilient New York,” Adams said in a statement.

Adams is Hochul’s third lieutenant governor choice in five years.

Brian Benjamin resigned following a federal indictment — those charges were later dropped — and Hochul’s current number two, Antonio Delgado, announced he’s challenging his boss for her job.

“As NYC Council Speaker, I spent every day working to find common ground on affordable housing, child care, and lowering costs for New Yorkers struggling to get by. We made progress, but there’s more work to do – and with Governor Kathy Hochul’s leadership, we’re going to get it done together,” Adams added in a statement. 

Sporting ties to political powerbrokers like Rep. Gregory Meeks, Queens Democratic Party Chair, Adams lives in South Jamaica, Queens and grew up in neighboring Hollis. 

Known as a moderate, Adams has been aligned with Hochul on issues like congestion pricing — but did question the toll’s financial burden for car-based commuters in Queens.

Notably, she was invited to be part of Hochul’s political confab organized in February 2025 to discuss Mayor Adams’ political future and whether he should be sanctioned, or removed from office.

Last year, Adams unsuccessfully ran for mayor against a wide-ranging field, including Mayor Zohran Mamdani, initially clinching the endorsement of State Attorney General Letitia James.

“I did not intend to run for mayor,” Adams told NY1’s Errol Louis during an exit interview on Dec. 17.

“Then things started to fall apart around his leadership,” she said.

Elected to the Council in 2017, Adams became the chamber’s first Black woman elected speaker — also leading the first majority-female body in the city’s history.

Although not the preferred speaker candidate of then-Mayor Eric Adams, her high school classmate of no relation, Adams was elected nearly unanimously in 2022 to the job.