Gov. Kathy Hochul appoints Rep. Antonio Delgado as lieutenant governor

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Rep. Antonio Delgado, a Democrat who has represented the 19th Congressional District of New York since 2019, will become the state’s next lieutenant governor.

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the appointment in a press release on Tuesday. The release did not specify when the appointment will go into effect.

“I am proud to appoint Antonio Delgado, an outstanding leader and public servant, as Lieutenant Governor of New York, and I look forward to working with him to usher in a new era of fairness, equity, and prosperity for communities across the state,” Hochul said in the release.

The announcement came three weeks after former Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin resigned from the office following his arrest under federal bribery charges earlier that day.

Delgado, 45, grew up in Schenectady and now lives in Rhinebeck. He graduated from Colgate University and received a Rhodes Scholarship to the University of Oxford. Delgado holds a law degree from Harvard University as well.

He is the first person of color to represent upstate New York in Congress and is a member of both the Black and Hispanic Congressional Caucuses, according to the release.

Delgado is expected to replace Benjamin as Hochul’s running mate in the upcoming gubernatorial election, The New York Times reported.

“Upstate, downstate, doesn’t matter,” Delgado said in the release. “We all want the same things, security, family, and opportunity. The key is to listen to New Yorkers from all walks of life and then be their voice to get the job done.”