By Hank Russell
Governor Kathy Hochul announced on February 4 that she has named former New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams as her lieutenant governor. Adams succeeds Antonio Delgado, who stepped down in February 2025 and is now running against Hochul for governor in the Democratic primary.
As previously reported in Long Island Life & Politics, a rift reportedly developed between Delgado and Hochul. According to various media reports, Delgado’s decision was based on two major disagreements he had with Hochul — one over whether Joe Biden should run for re-election as U.S. President and the other regarding the governor’s decision not to remove New York City Mayor Eric Adams (who is not related to the council speaker).
Adrienne Adams — who was elected speaker in 2022 — ran for mayor in the Democratic primary, but lost to Zohran Mamdani, garnering only 4% of the vote. She also ran again for speaker, but the council decided to go with former council member Julie Menin (D-Upper East Side).
According to a website biography, Adams ran for state Senate in 2016 and lost, but won a city council seat the following year, representing southeast Queens. During her run for mayor, she ran on a campaign of defending the city’s sanctuary laws, calling for the closing of Rikers Island and prioritizing the rights of women and people of color. She ought to maintain spending on education and other public services.
She worked in the private sector as a corporate trainer before focusing on becoming a member of Community Board 12.
Adams’ tenure as council speaker was not without controversy. She was accused of misusing her position by removing two council members from the budget negotiating team for endorsing former governor Andrew Cuomo for mayor. She has also been accused of fostering antisemitism by introducing a resolution to call for a cease-fire in the war in Gaza, much to the consternation of the city’s Jewish residents, and backing the appointment of Councilmember Shahana Hafif as co-chair of the newly formed Task Force to Combat Hate. Hafif, a Democrat socialist from Brooklyn, blamed Israel for instigating the attack on Hamas and voted against a resolution to establish “End Jew Hatred Day” in the city. (The resolution passed anyway.)
“I’m grateful to begin building the next chapter of New York’s future with Adrienne Adams, our next lieutenant governor,” Hochul said. “Raised by two union workers, 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. 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.”
“Adrienne and I are no strangers to rolling up our sleeves and getting results for working New Yorkers. Together, 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.
“I am honored to stand side by side with Governor Kathy Hochul in her fight for a safe, affordable, and resilient New York,” Adams said. “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. There’s too much on the line for us to let Donald Trump raise costs, rip away child care, and wage war on New York families – and Governor Hochul and I are ready for this fight. Let’s get to work.”
New York State Democratic Committee Chair Jay Jacobs praised Hochul’s pick for lieutenant governor.
“Governor Hochul couldn’t have picked a better running mate than Adrienne Adams, a proud daughter of Southeast Queens who’s worked hard to lower costs for New Yorkers, protect their health care, and keep our communities safe,” Jacobs said. “As Donald Trump and Bruce Blakeman spend every day attacking the state of New York, our ticket will be led by two moms who’ve spent their careers fighting for affordability — and with Governor Hochul and Adrienne Adams’ leadership this year, we’re going to build the movement necessary to take back the House and get Democrats elected up and down the ballot.”
Meanwhile, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, who is running on the GOP ticket for governor, derided Hochul’s decision. “Leave it to Kathy Hochul to select a radical running mate that welcomed the migrant crisis, defunded the NYPD by a billion dollars, and chased away thousands of jobs to other states,” he said.