Go Time

Good morning from Columbia County, where in 1814, Samuel J. Tilden was born.

Speaking of majorities, Governor Kathy Hochul officially secured the designation of the New York State Democratic Committee, receiving just over 85% of the weighted vote at their convention in Syracuse last week. In her acceptance speech, Hochul said, “It’s with great pride that I accept your nomination to once again serve as the daughter of the great state of New York. As a young political science student, there are two realities I never dreamed possible: That I’d be elected the governor of my home state, but second, that the pillars of our very democracy, justice, truth, the rule of law, would be under attack, not by a foreign power, but by our own president.” 

A candidate needs 25% for automatic ballot access, and Lt. Governor Antonio Delgado fell far short of that mark and will need to petition his way onto the ballot for the June Primary. Speaking to reporters, Delgado offered, “You get the signatures, you get on the ballot, and you give people the choice. But as a party, and this is the point I’ve been trying to make to my colleagues, but as a party, we should also signal to the people that there’s an openness to this process.” Party delegates also nominated state Attorney General Letitia James and Comptroller Tom DiNapoli with overwhelming support.

Both Hochul and Delgado unveiled their choices for Lt. Governor shortly before the convention. After much speculation, Hochul chose former New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, crafting the first women-led major party ticket in New York history. In a statement announcing her choice, Hochul said, "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.”

The choice caused some agita, especially with the Brooklyn Democratic Party. Brooklyn Democratic leader Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, not a fan of Adams, announced the organization was pulling their endorsement of Hochul, declaring in a statement, “This is a response to the political miscalculation on the part of the governor’s campaign and their failure to engage or consult Brooklyn Democratic leaders who represent New York’s largest Democratic delegation. Major statewide political decisions require meaningful collaboration with the party leaders and elected officials who organize, mobilize, and deliver Democratic victories.” Bichotte Hermelyn then reversed her decision and re-endorsed Hochul before the convention on Friday, offering, “We expressed our concerns, and while continued discussions are necessary to build and strengthen relationships, we understand that the only pathway forward is together.” 

Delgado selected former Buffalo mayoral and Common Council candidate India Walton as his running mate, giving his ticket additional geographic and ideological balance. Walton, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, won an upset primary victory in 2021 against incumbent Mayor Byron Brown before losing in the General Election to a write-in campaign mounted by Brown and his allies. In a statement after joining Delgado’s ticket, Walton said, “New Yorkers deserve leadership that puts them first, and that is what this campaign embodies. I have never shied away from bold ideas, and I am excited to partner with someone who displays that same courage.” 

Delgado’s broad focus on the progressive left was not enough to secure the Working Families Party's endorsement either. Entering this weekend’s convention, Delgado had secured endorsements from Citizen Action of New York, New York Communities for Change, and Caring Majority Rising, each of which makes up part of the WFP’s Regional Advisory Council, or “RAC.” However, only the state committee members have an actual vote for statewide offices, and they selected a placeholder candidate rather than endorse Hochul or Delgado. According to reports, Delgado secured over 40% of the weighted state committee vote, while the placeholder candidate won with 56%. That means Hochul had little direct support from WFP state committee members, though party leaders disputed those numbers. Nonetheless, denying Delgado the support was a major victory for Team Hochul and an indication from the WFP that while they like what Delgado is saying, they have serious doubts about his viability.

Together with those victories, Hochul also rolled out endorsements from the entire New York Congressional Delegation as well as New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. It was quite a show of force in a week where a Siena poll also showed her with some of the highest approval ratings of her career.

In Albany, the focus remains on Hochul’s budget proposal; the joint legislative budget hearing on transportation is never the most riveting content, but a contentious back-and-forth over the efficacy of fare evasion enforcement on New York City’s subway led to one lawmaker yelling for his colleague to “shut up.” You can watch the exchange here. 

This week’s schedule will feature joint legislative hearings on Health on Tuesday, Local Government on Wednesday, and Public Protection on Thursday. You can watch the discussion live on the Senate and Assembly websites. You can find the full hearing schedule here. 

In one final act of the 2025 Legislative Session, Hochul effectively killed the proposal that would have tweaked the state's judicial districts through a rarely used tool known as a “pocket veto.” Normally, the governor has 10 days (minus Sundays) to act on legislation once it is formally transmitted to her by the Legislature. However, since the bill was sent to her on the last day of the year, Hochul has another thirty days to consider the legislation, and it is automatically rejected if she does not act. The proposal would have created two new judicial districts and redrawn the lines of three existing ones within the Appellate Division, Fourth Department. Had the bill been signed, Erie County would become its own district (the 8th District); Monroe County would become its own district (the 7th District); Onondaga County would become the new 14th Judicial District; and the remaining rural counties from the original 5th, 7th, and 8th Districts would be part of a newly configured 5th District and a brand-new 15th District. As the Supreme Court is currently configured, urban and rural areas share courts, which some believe hinders minority representation on the bench. There is already talk of bringing similar legislation back this year.

A quick look at one of Mayor Mamdani’s toughest transition challenges here.

And, having been in Miami last week for a family wedding, I can attest that this is true.

 -Jack O’Donnell