Gov. Kathy Hochul has selected former New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams as her running mate, adding regional balance to Hochul’s bid for a second full term.
Adams, 65, left office in December after helming the Council for four years. Both women are considered political moderates, but Adams’ selection aligns Hochul with a known figure in Democratic precincts of Southeast Queens.
Hochul, who is from Buffalo, announced her selection on Wednesday, describing Adams as “a fighter” who would stand up to President Donald Trump. It’s the first time two women have run as a ticket for New York governor and lieutenant governor on a major party line.
“Adrienne knows what it means to work hard and stand up for those who need it most. That's why as New York City Council speaker, she led the charge to protect families, make housing more affordable, invest in our children, and stand up to anyone who seeks to harm our city,” Hochul said in a statement.
Adams said she was “honored” by the selection. The announcement capped several months of speculation in which Hochul, who is white, considered other Black and Hispanic officials with ties to New York City, according to some potential candidates and people familiar with the process.
Under a new state law, Hochul and her pick for lieutenant governor will appear as a ticket in the June party primary and November general election. Adams and Hochul will be formally joined at the Democratic Party state convention in Syracuse this week.
Basil Smikle, a Columbia University professor and former executive director of the state Democratic Party, said Adams, who is Black, could appeal to Black voters in Queens and Nassau County.
“What any governor would want is someone who really could be out there and shore up her base — and expand her base — while she's actually doing the job of being governor,” Smikle said.
There was some pushback. Brooklyn Democratic Party Chair Rodneyse Bichotte-Hermelyn said the pick was a “miscalculation” because Hochul didn’t consult with officials in Kings County.
“Major statewide political decisions require meaningful collaboration with the party leaders and elected officials who organize, mobilize and deliver Democratic victories,” Bichotte-Hermelyn said. “It is safe to conclude that the Brooklyn delegation on Friday at the State Convention will be prone to voting against or abstaining from support for this ticket.”
If elected, Adams would be Hochul’s third lieutenant governor. Brian Benjamin resigned after he was arrested on a bribery indictment. The charges were later dropped after a key witness in the case died.
Hochul then tapped former U.S. Rep. Antonio Delgado to be her running mate in 2022. He broke with the governor last year and is now challenging her in a Democratic primary.
Delgado on Wednesday said that India Walton, a nurse who unsuccessfully ran for mayor of Buffalo in 2021 as a democratic socialist, would be his running mate. The two will seek support for their ticket at the party convention and, if necessary, in a petition drive, Delgado said.
“The thing that I really appreciate the most is her passion and her fighting spirit,” Delgado said. “She's driven by a vision. She's driven by a sense of moral purpose.”
Republican officials have endorsed Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman as their favored candidate for governor. His campaign is considering Erie County Sheriff John Garcia, Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin and attorney Bobbie Anne Cox as potential running mates, according to four people familiar with the process but not authorized to speak publicly.
A spokesperson for McLaughlin didn’t return a message seeking comment, and Cox’s law firm didn’t immediately respond to questions from Gothamist. Garcia declined the overture, two of the people said.
Blakeman campaign spokesperson Madison Spanodemos criticized Adams voting record. In the wake of protests over the murder of George Floyd in 2020, Adams voted for a city budget that shifted $1 billion from the NYPD. As speaker, Adams cut a budget deal in 2023 that included around $3 billion for emergency shelter and food for migrants who illegally entered the U.S.
“Bruce and a group of party officials have interviewed candidates from all walks of life across every region of the state, and are impressed with everyone they met so far,” said Blakeman campaign spokesperson Madison Spanodemos. “Bruce is confident that the ultimate choice will be someone of honesty and integrity, who would be capable of being governor from day one. That said, I can assure you that Adrienne Adams, Zohran Mamdani, and Alexandria Ocasio Cortez will not be his running mates.”
The Republican Party’s state convention is scheduled for next week.
