The Governor of New York has named a replacement lieutenant governor.
Brian Benjamin, the prior lieutenant governor, resigned in April after being arrested on corruption and bribery charges.
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on May 3 that United State Congressman Antonio Delgado would take over as lieutenant governor.
"I am proud to appoint Antonio Delgado, an outstanding leader and public servant, as Lieutenant Governor of New York, and I look forward to working with him to usher in a new era of fairness, equity, and prosperity for communities across the State," Hochul said in her announcement. "We share a belief in working together to get things done for New Yorkers, and Representative Delgado has an incredible record of doing just that in Congress.”
Delgado, a New York Native who attended Harvard Law School, currently represents New York’s 19th congressional district, including the Hudson Valley and the Catskills.
“An Afro-Latino, he is the first person of color to represent upstate New York in Congress and is a member of both the Black and Hispanic Congressional Caucuses,” notes NBC New York.
He was elected in 2018 and serves as the Chairman of the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Commodity Exchanges, Energy, and Credit, and serves on the House Small Business and Transportation and Infrastructure Committees.
"New Yorkers deserve a Lieutenant Governor who's working day and night to make lives better for working people and their families," Delgado said in a joint statement with Hochul. "Upstate, downstate, doesn't matter. We all want the same things, security, family, and opportunity. The key is to listen to New Yorkers from all walks of life and then be their voice to get the job done."
The announcement comes the day after Benjamin was removed from the ballot.
At the request of the governor, the state’s legislature approved a bill that allowed Benjamin to take himself out of the running for the upcoming Democratic primary.
Prior to the law’s passage, a candidate charged or convicted of a state or federal misdemeanor or felony could not voluntarily remove their name from a ballot. A candidate’s name would only be removed in the event they died, moved out of New York, or ran for a different office.
Authorities say Benjamin accepted fraudulent campaign contributions while running to be New York City’s Comptroller in 2021.
His resignation was announced on April 12, hours after he turned himself in to law enforcement.
"While the legal process plays out, it is clear to both of us that he cannot continue to serve as Lieutenant Governor," Hochul said in a statement. "New Yorkers deserve absolute confidence in their government, and I will continue working every day to deliver for them.”
