ALBANY, N.Y. — Gov. Kathy Hochul has selected Adrienne Adams, the former speaker of the New York City Council, as her running mate in her re-election campaign, creating the first all-woman major-party ticket in New York State history.
Hochul announced the decision Wednesday, choosing Adams, 65, a Queens Democrat who recently completed two terms on the City Council and previously ran unsuccessfully for mayor. The selection adds geographic balance and a well-known figure from New York City to Hochul’s statewide ticket, the newspaper reported.

Both Hochul, 67, and Adams are considered moderates within the Democratic Party and have resisted efforts by left-leaning colleagues to raise taxes or make sweeping changes to policing policy, according to the Times. Hochul is the first woman to serve as governor of New York, while Adams was the first Black speaker of the City Council.

“As Donald Trump attacks this state relentlessly and Bruce Blakeman bends the knee before him, I need a fighter in my corner,” Hochul said in a statement cited by the Times. “Adrienne Adams is that fighter.”

Exciting announcement: I have a running mate.

I picked a New Yorker from Southeast Queens. Someone who grew up in a union household, just like I did. A fighter who knows how to deliver for New York.

Welcome to the team my friend – and our next Lieutenant Governor –… pic.twitter.com/Lqv51fRm9d

— Kathy Hochul (@KathyHochul) February 4, 2026

The current lieutenant governor, Antonio Delgado, is challenging Hochul in the Democratic primary and will not be on her ticket. A Siena University poll released Tuesday showed Delgado trailing Hochul by more than 50 percentage points, according to the newspaper.

Delgado has named India Walton, a democratic socialist, as his running mate. The competing selections underscore the ideological divide within the Democratic Party, with Walton expected to appeal to progressive voters, including supporters of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, the Times reported.

Adams and Hochul have both clashed at times with Mamdani, particularly over issues including taxation, policing and Israel. While Hochul ultimately endorsed Mamdani in the mayoral race, she has publicly disagreed with him on several policy matters, the newspaper reported.

Hochul’s announcement comes ahead of the Democratic Party’s statewide endorsement convention in Syracuse. Republicans are expected to hold their convention next week on Long Island. Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, the Republican gubernatorial nominee, has not yet named a running mate.

Blakeman criticized the selection, calling Adams a “radical” and accusing her of mishandling issues related to migration and economic growth, according to the Times.

Four women have previously served as lieutenant governor in New York, including Hochul, but the state has never had women simultaneously holding both top executive offices, the newspaper reported.