Antonio Delgado was sworn in Wednesday as New York’s new lieutenant governor in front of state Supreme Court Justice Kevin Bryant. The former Hispanic congressman was accompanied by his family, his wife and his son.
Governor Kathy Hochul gave an introduction before the swearing-in, highlighting the work they will do together.
“Public service is the highest calling, sacrifices and time away from family is one of the greatest sacrifices, but at the end of the day, when we look back on our lives and say I made life better for other people, and if you answer yes, that’s good, and Antonio Delgado is doing that and we continue this work together,” said the governor. “We have a lot of work to do and we are going to do it together.”
“Antonio Delgado is a phenomenal leader and public servant with a history of doing things for New Yorkers, and he will be a trusted partner as Lieutenant Governor of New York,” Governor Hochul said. “I look forward to working together on critical issues including education, affordable housing, economic development and infrastructure, and his experience in Washington will make him a key liaison for our Congressional delegation.”
Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado gave a commemorative speech after his wife gave a few words and expressed his gratitude to be able to continue working for the state.
“Thank you Governor for the trust in me and for giving me the opportunity to guide and be a voice in a critical moment in our state and country, together we will continue working for the state that we both love,” said Delgado.
“It has been an honor to serve in Congress, get results, and fight for the constituents of the 19th District. Now, I am ready to put my years of experience and ability to connect people to work for all of New York State,” Antonio Delgado said. “New York needs an experienced leader with a track record of getting things done. I am more than ready to take on this role as Lieutenant Governor and work tirelessly, every day, to improve the lives of New Yorkers.”
On the other hand, upon Delgado’s resignation as a congresswoman, the governor will follow the process established by law and will issue a proclamation declaring a special election that will align with the newly established election date in August. It is not clear when that will be.
When a seat becomes vacant, the governor has 10 days to announce a special election to be held 70 to 80 days later, in accordance with state law.
Gov. Hochul said the special election will align with the Aug. 23 primaries for state House and Senate seats.
Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, a Democrat, previously served as lieutenant governor after the April 12 resignation of Brian Benjamin, who proclaimed his innocence following his arrest in a federal corruption investigation.
A Rhodes Scholar and Harvard Law School graduate, Delgado was first elected in 2018 as the first upstate New Yorker of color in Congress on campaign promises of universal access to Medicare and closing tax loopholes for the wealthy.
Hochul and Delgado have faced criticism for vacating a congressional seat at a time when Democrats are struggling to maintain their majority in the U.S. House of Representatives and after state courts approved new political maps that Democrats they had drawn up to consolidate comfortable majorities in the years to come.
Hochul appointed Delgado days after the state Court of Appeals rejected the congressional maps in a majority opinion that largely concurred with Republican voters who argued the district’s boundaries were unconstitutionally rigged.
That decision nullified maps that would have reshaped Delgado’s 19th Congressional District into a safe Democratic district that stretched from the Hudson Valley to Albany and west to Binghamton and Utica.
An upstate judge has approved a final set of maps that creates an even larger 19th Congressional District that stretches to Ithaca, in the Finger Lakes wine and tourism region. Some 52% of voters in the newly created district voted for President Joe Biden in 2020, up from 52% on the Democrats’ failed maps.
Democrat Pat Ryan, who ran second to Delgado in the district’s 2018 Democratic primary, has said he will run to succeed him.
Republican candidates Brandon Buccola and Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro are also running for the 19th District seat.
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