New York’s Kathy Hochul forms first women-led ticket, selecting Adrienne Adams as her running mate

ALBANY, New York — Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul has selected former New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams as her running mate for a women-led ticket — a first in Empire State history for a major party.

Adams’ selection is simultaneously a bold and safe choice for the governor.

Hochul and Adams are both moderate, church-going mothers who take a low-key approach to their jobs and are around the same age. Yet the governor, who holds a massive polling advantage over her political rivals, is making a statement by picking a woman to be her No. 2 in a state government that, until recently, has been male dominated.

“Adrienne and I are no strangers to rolling up our sleeves and getting results for working New Yorkers,” Hochul said in a statement. “Together, we’re going to continue investing in public safety, bringing costs down, and making this state a place where all families can thrive.”

Adams would be the first Black woman to hold the position and, as a Queens native, brings geographic balance to a ticket led by the state’s Buffalo-born governor.

New York’s lieutenant governor is a largely powerless position and its officeholders usually do not garner much statewide recognition. Teasing her decision earlier this week, Hochul said she wanted someone who would be able to step into her job should the need arise.

Hochul’s previous picks to fill the post have caused her significant problems, though, leading to no shortage of political headaches.

Her first lieutenant governor, former state Sen. Brian Benjamin, resigned only months into the job after he was indicted on corruption charges that were later dismissed. Hochul then turned to Rep. Antonio Delgado, who represented a swing Hudson Valley House district. Delgado, though, has clashed with Hochul and is now waging a long-shot Democratic primary bid against her.

Adams, 65, was a late entrant into the Democratic mayoral primary last year. The Queens Democrat was urged to launch her bid when ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo held frontrunner status and his critics — including state Attorney General Letitia James — were trying to find ways to stop him. At the time, Adams, who is no relation to former Mayor Eric Adams, was seen as someone who could draw moderate Black voters away from Cuomo.

Adrienne Adams eventually finished fourth and was eliminated after the second round of ranked-choice voting. During the primary, though, she confronted the eventual winner, democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani. Her campaign criticized Mamdani on X for backing calls to abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a post that was later deleted following backlash.

She eventually endorsed Mamdani after the June primary — even as she expressed doubts he would win the general election.

The selection of Adams to join the ticket was a closely held secret by the Hochul campaign for days as her aides batted down rumors of potential suitors.

Delgado officially announced Wednesday he had picked former Buffalo mayoral candidate India Walton, a move that’s meant to bolster his left-flank support. Walton, like Adams, would be the first Black woman to serve as lieutenant governor.

Hochul’s likely Republican opponent, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, is yet to announce his lieutenant governor choice.