Antonio Delgado: Relationships
Antonio Delgado's political network spans the governor who elevated him and from whom he later split, the congressional rival whose defeat launched his career, and the progressive coalition supporting his gubernatorial campaign. The map below covers his key relationships, with citations to primary or strong secondary sources.
A note up front: Delgado's most consequential relationship is with Governor Hochul, who appointed him Lieutenant Governor and from whom he has publicly broken. His network has shifted from bipartisan congressional ties to progressive statewide alliances.
Kathy Hochul
The defining relationship of Delgado's statewide career is with Governor Kathy Hochul, who appointed him Lieutenant Governor in May 2022 and ran with him on the 2022 ticket 1,2. Their relationship deteriorated publicly over disagreements on Biden's candidacy and Mayor Adams's tenure, with Hochul's office explicitly disavowing his statements 1. Delgado's decision not to seek re-election as Lieutenant Governor and to run for governor against Hochul made this relationship among the most consequential and fraught in current New York politics 1. The rift is detailed in the controversies section of this series.
John Faso
Delgado's launch into politics came through his 2018 defeat of Republican incumbent John Faso in the 19th Congressional District 3. The race, defined by its racial dynamics and the attacks on Delgado's hip-hop career, was his entry point into elected office. Faso remains a part of his political story primarily as the incumbent he unseated.
Brian Benjamin
Delgado's path to the Lieutenant Governorship was shaped by the departure of Brian Benjamin, who resigned amid a federal corruption scandal in April 2022 1. While not a direct personal relationship, Benjamin's exit created the vacancy that Hochul filled by appointing Delgado. The circumstances of the appointment are part of the context of his rise.
Progressive endorsers
As a gubernatorial candidate, Delgado built a network of progressive endorsements, including the New York Progressive Action Network, New York Communities for Change, For the Many, Food & Water Action, Third Act New York, and Citizen Action 4. These organizations represent the grassroots progressive infrastructure he built for a statewide primary. His endorsement network marks a shift from his congressional-era bipartisan coalitions.
Congressional colleagues
During his House tenure, Delgado worked across the aisle, building relationships that supported his 18 signed bills, including with Republican colleagues on agriculture, veterans, and small-business issues 5. He received endorsements from the Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC and the Congressional Black Caucus PAC during his 2018 campaign 6. These congressional relationships, while no longer active in his statewide role, are part of his political foundation.
Adriano Espaillat and Nydia Velazquez
Delgado received endorsements from prominent New York Democrats including Representatives Adriano Espaillat and Nydia Velazquez during his 2021 Borough President campaign by Hochul's selection as well as later political activities 1. These relationships connect him to the state's Latino and progressive Democratic networks.
Family
Delgado's closest personal relationships are with his family. He married Lacey Schwartz Delgado, a documentary filmmaker, at Harvard Law School, and the couple has twin sons, Maxwell and Coltrane 3,7. They live in Rhinebeck. His family, including his working-class parents at General Electric and his stepfather, is central to his public identity and his narrative of upward mobility through education and public service.
The shape of his network
Delgado's relationships map onto his trajectory from congressional outsider to statewide figure: Launched by his defeat of Faso, elevated by Hochul's appointment, now defined by his break from the governor and his embrace of a progressive statewide coalition. The central feature is the dramatic shift from partnership with Hochul to open rivalry, which has reshaped his network and his political positioning as he seeks the governorship.