'Good idea': Delgado drops run for governor, ending primary against Hochul

And what New York's mayors will seek from the state Legislature in Wednesday's budget hearing.

Good afternoon — It’s Tuesday and Flannel Day.

In today’s CapCon:

• Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado suspended his campaign for governor Tuesday, dropping his primary challenge against Gov. Kathy Hochul.

• State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins called that a “good idea,” and explained why she thought his run failed.

• State Health Commissioner James V. McDonald was asked about Hochul’s plan to roll back the Essential Plan and dip into a trust fund Tuesday.

• Republicans designated their nominee for state comptroller Tuesday on Long Island.

• New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani will testify in Albany Wednesday but the state’s other mayors have their own requests of the Legislature.

• A new bill seeks to create a new criminal charge for causing a “corporate catastrophe.”

Names in today’s CapCon: Antonio Delgado, Kathy Hochul, Andrea Stewart-Cousins, James McDonald, Zohran Mamdani, Hector LaSalle, Joseph R. Biden, Eric Adams, Donald J. Trump, India Walton, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Carl E. Heastie, Emily Gallagher, Jabari Brisport, Sarafina Chitika, Bruce Blakeman, Mike Lawler, Elise Stefanik, Joseph Hernandez, Shawyn Patterson-Howard, Dorcey Applyrs, Michelle Hinchey, Anna Kelles, Richard B. Milne, Jared Kraham, Barbara Van Epps

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Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado (Will Waldron/Times Union)

🔵 Delgado drops his bid for governor, ending primary challenge to Hochul

It has been an extraordinary election cycle in the race for New York governor.

Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado riled the Democratic Party about a year ago when he announced that he would not seek reelection with Gov. Kathy Hochul.

That came after Delgado publicly, and privately, split with Hochul on some of her most high-profile political positions.

When Hochul nominated Hector LaSalle, the presiding justice of the Second Department, Appellate Division, to be the next chief judge, Delgado was noticeably absent in trying to convince lawmakers he should be confirmed. Strike one.

Democrats in the state Senate ultimately rejected LaSalle, though there’s no telling if intervention from Delgado would have changed that outcome.

When former President Joseph R. Biden faced pressure to drop his campaign for reelection following a poor debate performance in 2024, Hochul stood by him and became one of his most outspoken surrogates.

Delgado disagreed and decided to publicly call on Biden to end his reelection bid. Strike two.

Then, about a year ago, a third split with Hochul was the final nail in the coffin. After the U.S. Department of Justice decided to drop federal bribery charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Democrats were split on his future.

Many viewed the decision as the result of a deal between Adams and the administration of President Donald J. Trump to cooperate on federal immigration enforcement.

Hochul was undecided on whether she would ask him to resign or try to remove him from office, which only she could do as governor. But before she could make that decision, Delgado called on him to step down. Strike three.

Less than two weeks later, Delgado made the announcement on his reelection with Hochul. He then launched his own campaign for governor four months later.

That’s now all over. Delgado ended his campaign for governor Tuesday, less than a week after he announced India Walton as his running mate.

“I’ve concluded that there simply is no viable path forward,” Delgado said in a statement. “I do not make this decision lightly, particularly given that so many have poured their belief into our campaign and are desperate to be given a voice.”

His decision comes after Hochul’s campaign secured several key endorsements, including those of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie and state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins.

“It’s a good idea,” Stewart-Cousins said Tuesday of Delgado’s decision, which he announced while she was holding a news conference. There were gasps in the room when I asked for her reaction.