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Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
New York lieutenant governor launches primary challenge against Hochul
New York Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado will challenge Gov. Kathy Hochul in the governor's race next year, becoming the first prominent Democrat to launch a primary challenge against his current boss. Delgado's announcement on Monday doesn't come as a major surprise, as he revealed in February that he didn't plan to run for reelection as lieutenant governor next year but would explore 'all options.' Hochul appointed Delgado to serve as her second-in-command in 2022 and the pair was elected to a full term later that year, but their relationship has frayed over time. 'People are hurting, and New York deserves better leadership,' Delgado told The New York Times in an interview. 'There's an absence of bold, decisive, transformational leadership.' Hochul, New York's first female governor, who first took office following former Gov. Andrew Cuomo's (D) resignation, appears potentially somewhat vulnerable in a battle both for her party's nomination and in a general election. Her favorability rating has regularly been underwater and polls show many New Yorkers saying they would prefer another choice as governor in 2026. A Siena College Poll from last month showed 55 percent said they wanted someone else, while only 36 percent said they prefer Hochul. Her favorability rating also dropped slightly after reaching net positive in April for the first time in over a year. Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) has also been considering a primary challenge to Hochul. But any primary challenge to Hochul will still likely be an uphill battle. The same poll showed Hochul well ahead in a hypothetical three-way Democratic primary matchup with 46 percent to Delgado's 12 percent and Torres's 10 percent. Hochul has also proven herself to be a strong fundraiser. Democratic Governors Association (DGA) Executive Director Meghan Meehan-Draper said in a statement that Hochul is a 'proven leader' who has a strong record of putting money in New Yorkers' pockets, protecting abortion rights and keeping communities safe. 'The Governor knows how to take on big fights and win for New York families — and her agenda is overwhelmingly popular with New Yorkers on both sides of the aisle,' she said. Meehan-Draper said the DGA, which works to elect Democratic governors around the country, is behind Hochul '100 percent' to take on President Trump and build the operation necessary to defeat Republicans in 2026. 'For years, Governor Hochul has been underestimated — and each time proved her critics wrong,' she said. Delgado told the Times that he isn't deterred by the polling, saying he hasn't seen from Hochul 'decisive leadership that is clear-eyed.' His campaign launch video includes a clip of him saying that he grew up in a middle-class family during a time when children expected to have more opportunities than their parents, but that isn't the case now. 'It's love of family. It's love of community. It's love of state. It's love of country. And I'm dedicated to that. That's why I'm running for governor of New York,' Delgado said. He said in the video that the state needs 'bold' leadership and a vision for affordable housing, universal health care and universal pre-K. He also called for standing up to President Trump's 'attack' on the state. 'The powerful and well-connected have their champions. I'm running for governor to be yours,' he said. Updated: 6:04 p.m. ET Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
First he snubbed her, now he wants her job. Hochul's deputy launching bid for governor.
NEW YORK — New York Gov. Kathy Hochul's No. 2 — Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado — has long had designs on her job and plans to launch his long-shot bid to unseat her Tuesday, his spokesperson told POLITICO. Delgado previewed the announcement in a video released Monday that includes images of him in New York City speaking with people and calling for 'universal health care' and 'universal pre-K.' He also pledged to fight 'the Trump administration's attacks' on deep blue New York. 'The powerful and well connected have their champions,' he said in the video. 'I'm running for governor to be yours.' A Hochul campaign spokesperson declined to comment. The Democratic Governors Association in a statement praised Hochul's record and pledged to support her. 'The Democratic Governors Association is 100 percent behind Governor Hochul as she continues to deliver for New York, take on Donald Trump, and build the operation it will take to beat Republicans up and down the ballot in 2026,' DGA executive director Meghan Meehan-Draper said. 'For years, Governor Hochul has been underestimated — and each time proved her critics wrong.' The Hudson Valley Democrat has been reaching out to Black elected officials to make his pitch, including leaders in Harlem and Brooklyn, four people familiar with his plans told POLITICO. One Democrat said Delgado is presenting Hochul as a weak top-of-the-ticket candidate who would hurt down-ballot contenders. Delgado is formalizing his campaign for governor four months after declining to endorse Hochul's reelection bid. But he snubbed her well before then, breaking with her last year by calling for President Joe Biden and then New York City Mayor Eric Adams to step down. Delgado, a moderate former House member who briefly had a rap career, holds a largely ceremonial role as Hochul's deputy. The responsibilities have conventionally included lower-stakes appearances to boost the governor while presiding over the state Senate. But Delgado has been on a de facto campaign tour of the state in recent months, hosting town halls and visiting churches to get his name out. He didn't reference Hochul once when he spoke Sunday from the pulpit of a predominantly Black church in Brooklyn. 'If we don't have moral leadership in a democracy, what do you think is going to happen to the democracy? It will collapse on itself,' Delgado told the congregation at Mt. Ollie Baptist Church. 'If you can't tell, I'm ready to make a change,' he went on to light applause, 'and I just want to ask you to pray for me.' Challenging a sitting governor is a difficult task. Hochul ascended to the office in 2021 after Andrew Cuomo's resignation. She quickly inherited the trappings of power that fall to chief executives in New York, including support from politically influential labor unions and a long line of donors eager to contribute to her campaign. Despite her middling poll numbers, Hochul is a formidable fundraiser. The governor in January reported $15.5 million in her campaign account and has raised money throughout the year. During the 2024 election cycle, Hochul built up the state Democratic Party's infrastructure, which she is expected to leverage for her re-election next year. Delgado had $968,751 in cash on hand, according to his January filing. The next report is not due until July. Hochul handily defeated two Democratic primary challengers in 2022 when she ran for a full term. She received more than 67 percent of the vote; New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and Rep. Tom Suozzi received less than 20 percent each. Delgado remains largely unknown to most voters, a common problem for anyone who serves in the low-profile lieutenant governor's post. A Siena College poll in May found 58 percent of voters had no opinion of him or didn't know him. A Schenectady native and resident of the exurban Hudson Valley region, he does not come from a population center like New York City or the immediate suburbs — often a prerequisite for statewide success. Delgado is part of a long line of lieutenant governors who have chafed in the powerless office. The last sitting No. 2 to challenge a sitting governor was in 1998, when Betsy McCaughey Ross launched an unsuccessful bid to unseat then-Gov. George Pataki. Delgado has spent much of the year in even more governmental irrelevance than is normal for the job. After announcing he would not run again with Hochul — and hinting he would challenge her — the Hochul administration stripped him of his Capitol office space, staff and email access. The lieutenant governor will be up against Hochul's name recognition and fundraising strength in the primary one year from now. The incumbent governor isn't highly popular but she's formidable enough. A Siena College poll from May showed 46 percent of Democrats would support Hochul in a gubernatorial primary, compared to 12 percent for Delgado and 10 percent for Rep. Ritchie Torres, another potential challenger who says he'll make his decision after the New York City mayoral primary this month. On the Republican side, potential candidates for governor next year include Reps. Elise Stefanik and Mike Lawler and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman.
Politico
a day ago
- Politics
- Politico
First he snubbed her, now he wants her job. Hochul's deputy launching bid for governor.
NEW YORK — New York Gov. Kathy Hochul's No. 2 — Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado — has long had designs on her job and plans to launch his long-shot bid to unseat her Tuesday, his spokesperson told POLITICO. Delgado previewed the announcement in a video released Monday that includes images of him in New York City speaking with people and calling for 'universal health care' and 'universal pre-K.' He also pledged to fight 'the Trump administration's attacks' on deep blue New York. 'The powerful and well connected have their champions,' he said in the video. 'I'm running for governor to be yours.' A Hochul campaign spokesperson declined to comment. The Democratic Governors Association in a statement praised Hochul's record and pledged to support her. 'The Democratic Governors Association is 100 percent behind Governor Hochul as she continues to deliver for New York, take on Donald Trump, and build the operation it will take to beat Republicans up and down the ballot in 2026,' DGA executive director Meghan Meehan-Draper said. 'For years, Governor Hochul has been underestimated — and each time proved her critics wrong.' The Hudson Valley Democrat has been reaching out to Black elected officials to make his pitch, including leaders in Harlem and Brooklyn, four people familiar with his plans told POLITICO. One Democrat said Delgado is presenting Hochul as a weak top-of-the-ticket candidate who would hurt down-ballot contenders. Delgado is formalizing his campaign for governor four months after declining to endorse Hochul's reelection bid. But he snubbed her well before then, breaking with her last year by calling for President Joe Biden and then New York City Mayor Eric Adams to step down. Delgado, a moderate former House member who briefly had a rap career, holds a largely ceremonial role as Hochul's deputy. The responsibilities have conventionally included lower-stakes appearances to boost the governor while presiding over the state Senate. But Delgado has been on a de facto campaign tour of the state in recent months, hosting town halls and visiting churches to get his name out. He didn't reference Hochul once when he spoke Sunday from the pulpit of a predominantly Black church in Brooklyn. 'If we don't have moral leadership in a democracy, what do you think is going to happen to the democracy? It will collapse on itself,' Delgado told the congregation at Mt. Ollie Baptist Church. 'If you can't tell, I'm ready to make a change,' he went on to light applause, 'and I just want to ask you to pray for me.' Challenging a sitting governor is a difficult task. Hochul ascended to the office in 2021 after Andrew Cuomo's resignation. She quickly inherited the trappings of power that fall to chief executives in New York, including support from politically influential labor unions and a long line of donors eager to contribute to her campaign. Despite her middling poll numbers, Hochul is a formidable fundraiser. The governor in January reported $15.5 million in her campaign account and has raised money throughout the year. During the 2024 election cycle, Hochul built up the state Democratic Party's infrastructure, which she is expected to leverage for her re-election next year. Delgado had $968,751 in cash on hand, according to his January filing. The next report is not due until July. Hochul handily defeated two Democratic primary challengers in 2022 when she ran for a full term. She received more than 67 percent of the vote; New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and Rep. Tom Suozzi received less than 20 percent each. Delgado remains largely unknown to most voters, a common problem for anyone who serves in the low-profile lieutenant governor's post. A Siena College poll in May found 58 percent of voters had no opinion of him or didn't know him. A Schenectady native and resident of the exurban Hudson Valley region, he does not come from a population center like New York City or the immediate suburbs — often a prerequisite for statewide success. Delgado is part of a long line of lieutenant governors who have chafed in the powerless office. The last sitting No. 2 to challenge a sitting governor was in 1998, when Betsy McCaughey Ross launched an unsuccessful bid to unseat then-Gov. George Pataki. Delgado has spent much of the year in even more governmental irrelevance than is normal for the job. After announcing he would not run again with Hochul — and hinting he would challenge her — the Hochul administration stripped him of his Capitol office space, staff and email access. The lieutenant governor will be up against Hochul's name recognition and fundraising strength in the primary one year from now. The incumbent governor isn't highly popular but she's formidable enough. A Siena College poll from May showed 46 percent of Democrats would support Hochul in a gubernatorial primary, compared to 12 percent for Delgado and 10 percent for Rep. Ritchie Torres, another potential challenger who says he'll make his decision after the New York City mayoral primary this month. On the Republican side, potential candidates for governor next year include Reps. Elise Stefanik and Mike Lawler and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Duggan, Dems spar with competing ad campaigns during Mackinac Policy Conference
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan delivers a keynote address during the second day of the Mackinac Policy Conference at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, Mich., on May 28, 2025. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance) MACKINAC ISLAND – Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan says a new attack ad launched by the party he was a member of until last year is an example of the type of political system he's campaigning against in his independent bid for governor. The Democratic Governors Association launched a digital ad Thursday accusing Duggan of a 'long, corruption-riddled history.' A press release from the group points to federal agents saying in 2022 that they had linked Duggan to a chain of events that ultimately outed a confidential FBI informant, alerting a target of an ongoing investigation of bribery, extortion and fraud. 'As Mayor, Mike Duggan put himself and his corrupt insiders first, including apparently trying to undermine a federal investigation into one of his closest political allies who went to prison for accepting bribes,' said DGA Communications Director Sam Newton. During his keynote address at the Mackinac Policy Conference on Wednesday, Duggan railed against attack ads used by both Democrats and Republicans. He pointed to an ad the campaign of Curtis Hertel ran accusing Tom Barrett of writing a bill that put women and doctors in jail, and Barrett's campaign countering with an ad accusing Hertel of working for the Chinese Communist Party. 'How did we get here, to the point where fighting for our state is not as important as being angry with the other party,' Duggan said. Duggan added that Republicans are already running attack ads against U.S. Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-Bay City) despite not having a candidate in the 2026 race yet. 'They have no idea who their candidate is. But they know if there's only two choices … if we just make the Democrat terrible, we can win,' Duggan said. 'We are not going to be living in a state where you only have these ads two or three months a year. We're heading to a state where 12 months a year, year in, year out, we're going to have toxic ads.' The mayor said in an interview with the Michigan Advance on Thursday that the new DGA ad demonstrates his point. 'The Democrats are nothing if not predictable. They only know one thing: Tear down their opponents,' Duggan said. 'I said yesterday that Democrats only united on two principles: They hate Republicans in general, and they hate Donald Trump in particular. But today, I've gotten them to broaden their platform; now they hate me, too.' Duggan, for his part, is also running ads, though they are focused on his own campaign: Billboards along I-75 in northern Michigan declares Nov. 3, 2026, 'Independent's Day.' He told reporters Wednesday that the series of billboards were meant to welcome people back as they drove up for the Mackinac Policy Conference. Other candidates in the race to succeed the term-limited Gov. Gretchen Whitmer include Democrats; Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist and Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson and Republicans; U.S. Rep. John James, Michigan Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt, former Attorney General Mike Cox and former congressional nominee Anthony Hudson. Polling commissioned by the Detroit Regional Chamber and released on the first day of the conference shows Duggan's campaign could pull votes from both Democrats and Republicans. Duggan said during the keynote that his inclusion in the race makes it more difficult for either party to win by simply attacking the other side. 'If I come along, and there's a third choice, you can't just kill one party and automatically win,' Duggan said. 'You have to actually say what you're for.' He told the Michigan Advance that Democrats are 'making it really easy for people to make a choice.' 'But just once, wouldn't you like to see the Democrats put up a billboard that says, here's our housing policy? They don't have it in them,' Duggan said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Secrecy sets the pace when it comes to this Beshear's Kentucky Derby guest list
Guests at Gov. Andy Beshear's Derby eve event mingle in the courtyard of the Old Governor's Mansion in Frankfort, May 2, 2025. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Tom Loftus) FRANKFORT, Ky. — Again this year, Gov. Andy Beshear has refused to identify friends and political supporters who buy prime tickets to the Kentucky Derby made available by Churchill Downs for the governor's entourage. The governor's office responded to an Open Records Act request from the Lantern with a letter saying it has no records of who got the tickets or who was invited to Beshear's black-tie Derby eve party at the Old Governor's Mansion in Frankfort. The office referred questions about the tickets and the party to a nonprofit corporation Beshear created at the outset of his administration to act as broker for his Derby tickets and manage the party. But the nonprofit, First Saturday in May Inc., is not covered by the Kentucky Open Records Act. And as it did last year, First Saturday refused the Lantern's request to review details of its income and spending. It ignored the Lantern's questions asking how many tickets it bought this year, the cost of the tickets and to whom the tickets were sold. First Saturday did, however, release a copy of its most recent (2023-24) tax return, which it is required by law to do. The tax return reveals only basic financial information — $990,000 in income that year and $965,000 in expenses. First Saturday reported in that tax return that it is a 501(c)(4) charitable organization whose mission is 'to organize and manage events for the promotion of economic development in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.' The nonprofit released a brief statement to the Lantern which noted its role in hosting the state's 'economic development and tourism guests at the Kentucky Derby.' But the statement also acknowledged, 'Additional tickets to the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby were privately purchased from Churchill Downs by the First Saturday in May at no expense to the Commonwealth.' This is the only hint from First Saturday of the substantial payments it has received in recent years from Democratic Party groups — particularly the Democratic Governors Association, or DGA. The 2025 Kentucky Derby was run as Beshear explores a campaign for president in 2028. Beshear's national profile was enhanced in December when his fellow Democratic governors elected him vice chair of the DGA and as chair-elect for 2026. The DGA used the events of Beshear's Derby weekend — including the private formal party on Derby Eve — as a fundraiser this year. And disclosures filed by the association with the Internal Revenue Service show that it has maintained a close relationship with First Saturday in May since Beshear first became governor. The IRS calls 501(c)(4) groups 'social welfare organizations' which are permitted to participate in some political activity as long as politics isn't their primary purpose. The Democratic Governors Association did not respond to numerous phone messages and emails from the Lantern. For its part, Churchill Downs refused to answer questions from the Lantern. Last year the Lantern reported that Beshear broke from the practice of his four immediate predecessors — including his father Steve Beshear, governor from 2007-15 — by refusing to release lists of those who bought Derby tickets from the allotment set aside by Churchill Downs for the governor. Several news reports dating back to 1999 published lists released by those governors of the people who bought their tickets from a large allotment set aside by Churchill Downs for purchase at face value by the governor's guests. The practice was to release lists of actual buyers of the tickets to reporters after the Derby, when the records were no longer considered preliminary. According to those news reports, each year a small portion of those tickets were bought by state government to host official guests — job creators and tourism promoters. Most tickets were bought by political donors, lobbyists, administration officials and friends. That is apparently the case this year. The 'spending search' function on state government's 'Transparency' website shows that the state has paid First Saturday $106,291 so far this year — apparently for the cost of tickets and related expenses for the official guests. But the number of such official guests — job creators and tourism promoters from out of state — is not large. The Beshear administration has said 40 such guests were entertained at the 2024 Derby. The past news articles reported that Churchill sold as many as 553 Derby tickets to the governor's group while Democrat Paul Patton was governor in 1999, and as few as 237 in 2016 under Republican Matt Bevin. Critics quoted in those articles questioned the propriety of Churchill — an entity closely regulated by the state and a massive political donor — making so many tickets available to the governor — far more tickets than needed for the official state guests. The ability to buy a prime Derby ticket at face value is a rare opportunity. Demand exceeds supply and many Derby fans must go online to the secondary market to buy tickets at high prices set by sellers. Norman Ornstein, an authority on ethics in government and emeritus scholar at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, told the Lantern last year that he was not so bothered by this potential conflict of interest. 'My only question now would be: Why are you not letting us know what other governors have let us know?' Ornstein said. One conclusion that can be drawn from available public records about First Saturday in May is that from its creation it has had a close relationship with the Democratic Governors Association. The DGA and its affiliated nonprofit group are required to file finance reports with the Internal Revenue Service. Those reports show that since First Saturday in May was created in 2019 through the end of 2024 the DGA has paid it $491,000. (The specific payments were: $105,000 in January 2022; $172,200 in February 2023; $37,300 in April 2023; $26,500 in March 2024. Also, a DGA affiliated non-profit named America Works USA reported that it made a $150,000 grant to First Saturday in early 2020.) The DGA is not required to disclose its receipts and spending for the first half of 2025 until July. The Lexington Herald-Leader reported in April that the DGA used Derby weekend as a fundraising opportunity. An invitation obtained by the Lexington Herald-Leader said that for a $15,000 donation ($25,000 for two people) a guest would get a ticket to the Oaks, the Derby and the Beshears' gala at the Old Governor's Mansion. The gala was not exclusively for the DGA donors and the state's economic development guests. Beshear Communications Director Crystal Staley said, 'Many different people from a variety of groups attend the gala.' The DGA's fundraiser invitation offered the opportunity for donors to not only party with Beshear, but also three other Democratic governors: The 2024 Democratic nominee for vice president Tim Walz of Minnesota, Maura Healey of Massachusetts and Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico. Last year a DGA spokesperson told the Lantern that the DGA has hosted events in Kentucky on Derby weekend for many years. Besides the DGA, other political groups have made payments to First Saturday. The Kentucky Democratic Party has reported to the FEC that it has paid a total of $99,370 since May of 2022 to First Saturday. And the Democratic Attorneys General Association has disclosed to the IRS that it has paid First Saturday $24,400. First Saturday in May Inc. was formed by Beshear soon after his first inauguration in December 2019. It was not a unique idea; governors going back to Paul Patton had created similar nonprofits to handle expenses of their Derby activities. Records of Kentucky's secretary of state show that in mid-February this year, the leadership of the nonprofit changed. Lindy Karns, Beshear's CPA who also has served as treasurer of his campaign committees, is no longer treasurer and contact person for First Saturday. Jack Dulworth, a Louisville businessman and longtime Beshear supporter, moved from the president's job to vice president. The new president is Jonathan Smith, who has worked closely with Beshear since Beshear's 2015 campaign for attorney general. (Officers of First Saturday receive no salaries, according to the organization's tax returns.) Smith resigned last year as deputy chief of staff in the governor's office. At the time of his resignation, the Herald-Leader reported that Smith 'is seen by many political insiders as a liaison between Beshear and others in the political world.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
