Gov. Hochul picked former City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams on Wednesday as her running mate in her fall Democratic reelection campaign, forging the first all-female ticket in state history.
Hochul tapped Adams as her lieutenant governor candidate to help her win over minority-group voters in New York City, lauding their shared working-class roots.
“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.
“We’re going to continue investing in public safety, bringing costs down, and making this state a place where all families can thrive,” Hochul added.
Adams, 65, served two terms representing a southeast Queens district, and forged a reputation as a moderate as Council speaker. She ran for mayor last year but faltered badly, finishing at the back of the pack behind eventual winner Zohran Mamdani.
“I’m ready to go win this election — so that we can lower costs, keep New Yorkers safe, and put money back in New Yorkers’ pockets,” Adams posted on X.
Adams, who is not related to ex-Mayor Eric Adams, replaces current Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado on the ticket. Delgado broke with Hochul and is running against his boss in the Democratic primary, but is trailing far behind in polls.
New York Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado waits to preside over the Senate Chamber during session prior to Gov. Kathy Hochul delivering her State of the State address in the Assembly Chamber at the state Capitol, Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023, in Albany, N.Y. (AP Photo/Hans Pennink)
Republicans are coalescing behind Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman after upstate Rep. Elise Stefanik abruptly pulled out of the race.
Polls show Hochul building a significant lead over Blakeman. Most analysts consider Hochul to be a strong favorite in a midterm election year when Democratic voters are energized to push back against President Trump’s right-wing agenda.
She underperformed badly in 2022 when she beat ex-Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-L.I.) by only about 6 percentage points.
Hochul has rebuilt her popularity among liberal voters by taking aggressive stands against Trump, who is deeply unpopular in the heavily Democratic state.