Antonio Delgado

Antonio Delgado
Born	Antonio Ramon Delgado 28 1, 1977
Birthplace	Schenectady, New York, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Attorney, politician
Known for	First African-American and first Latino elected to Congress from Upstate New York; Lieutenant Governor of New York
Education	Harvard Law School (J.D.)
Children	2

Antonio Ramon Delgado (born January 28, 1977) is an American attorney and politician who has served as the Lieutenant Governor of New York since May 2022. A member of the Democratic Party, Delgado previously represented New York's 19th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 2019 to 2022. Born and raised in Schenectady, New York, Delgado grew up in a working-class household and rose through a series of academic and professional achievements — including degrees from Colgate University and Harvard Law School — before turning to public service. He made history in 2018 as the first African American and the first person of Latino descent to be elected to Congress from Upstate New York. In May 2022, Governor Kathy Hochul appointed Delgado to the office of lieutenant governor, and he was elected to a full term in November of that year. Following public disagreements with Hochul, Delgado announced a campaign for the 2026 Democratic gubernatorial nomination in June 2025 but withdrew his candidacy in February 2026.

Early Life

Antonio Ramon Delgado was born on January 28, 1977, in Schenectady, New York. He grew up in the city's working-class neighborhoods. His background reflects both African-American and Latino heritage, a biographical fact that would later figure prominently in his political significance as a representative of Upstate New York.

As a young man, Delgado was an accomplished basketball player. He played competitive basketball during his formative years in Schenectady, and his athletic abilities earned him recognition in the local sports community. His basketball career was notable enough that he was later inducted into the Upstate New York Basketball Hall of Fame, a recognition of his accomplishments on the court during his youth and collegiate years.

A 2018 profile in the Daily Gazette described Delgado's upbringing as rooted in humble origins, tracing his path from Schenectady to a career on the national political stage. The article characterized his trajectory as moving "from humble roots to the big tent," noting that the Schenectady native had set his sights on Congress.

Education

Delgado attended Colgate University, where he continued to play basketball. He subsequently earned a Juris Doctor degree from Harvard Law School. His academic credentials formed the foundation of a career in law that preceded his entry into politics.

Following his legal education, Delgado also pursued creative interests. Before entering politics, he recorded a hip-hop album under the name "AD the Voice," an endeavor that would later become a topic of discussion during his first congressional campaign.

Career

Legal Career

After completing his education at Harvard Law School, Delgado pursued a career in law. He worked as an attorney, eventually establishing himself in Rhinebeck, New York, within the boundaries of New York's 19th congressional district. His legal career provided the professional background he would draw upon in his subsequent political campaigns, though his relative newness to the district was noted by local media during his initial congressional bid.

2018 Congressional Campaign

In 2018, Delgado entered the race for New York's 19th congressional district, a sprawling Upstate district that had been represented by Republican incumbent John Faso. The district, which encompasses portions of the Hudson Valley, Catskills, and Capital District, was considered a competitive swing district.

Delgado won the Democratic primary, defeating several other candidates to clinch the nomination. His primary victory was noted as historically significant: he became the first African-American and the first person of Latino descent to win a major-party congressional nomination in Upstate New York.

The general election campaign drew national attention in part because of attacks related to Delgado's earlier hip-hop recordings. The National Republican Congressional Committee and the Faso campaign highlighted lyrics from Delgado's rap album, with an attack advertisement calling out what it described as "offensive rap lyrics." The New York Times covered the episode, examining whether a rap album could disqualify a candidate from election to Congress. The editorial board of the New York Times weighed in on the race, addressing the attacks on Delgado.

Media analysis characterized the Republican strategy as racially charged. Vox reported that the use of Delgado's rap career in campaign advertising carried racial undertones, particularly given the demographics of the predominantly white Upstate district. A subsequent Vox article further examined the criticism Delgado faced over his music career and its place within the broader context of the campaign.

Despite the attacks, Delgado defeated Faso in the November 2018 general election, flipping the district from Republican to Democratic control. His victory was covered by Ebony as part of its broader 2018 midterm election reporting. The win made Delgado the first African-American and the first Latino to represent an Upstate New York congressional district.

U.S. House of Representatives (2019–2022)

Delgado took office on January 3, 2019, succeeding John Faso as the representative for New York's 19th congressional district. During his time in Congress, he represented a politically diverse district that included both rural communities and small cities across the Hudson Valley and Catskill regions.

Delgado was re-elected to a second term in 2020, continuing to represent the 19th district through the early years of the Biden administration. His tenure in the House lasted until May 25, 2022, when he resigned to assume the office of lieutenant governor.

His congressional career was documented through federal campaign finance filings with the Federal Election Commission.

Appointment as Lieutenant Governor

On May 3, 2022, Governor Kathy Hochul announced that she had selected Delgado to fill the vacant office of lieutenant governor. The position had been vacant following the resignation of the previous lieutenant governor. On May 25, 2022, Delgado resigned his seat in the U.S. House of Representatives and was sworn in as Lieutenant Governor of New York. His congressional seat was subsequently filled by Pat Ryan in a special election.

In November 2022, Delgado was elected to a full term as lieutenant governor on the ticket with Governor Hochul. His election as lieutenant governor made him the first Latino to hold statewide office in New York.

Lieutenant Governor of New York

As lieutenant governor, Delgado served under Governor Hochul beginning in May 2022. The office of lieutenant governor in New York carries responsibilities including serving as president of the New York State Senate and assuming the role of acting governor when the governor is out of state.

Over the course of his tenure, Delgado developed public disagreements with Governor Hochul on matters of policy and governance. These disagreements became increasingly visible, leading to a public rift between the two officials. In a January 2026 interview with New York Focus, Delgado commented on Hochul's governance, with the publication noting his criticisms of the governor's agenda and approach.

In February 2025, Delgado announced that he would not seek re-election as lieutenant governor in 2026, signaling his intention to chart a different political course.

2026 Gubernatorial Campaign

In June 2025, Delgado announced his candidacy for the 2026 Democratic nomination for governor of New York, mounting a primary challenge against his own running mate, Governor Hochul. The campaign represented an unusual political maneuver — a sitting lieutenant governor challenging the governor who had appointed him.

In February 2026, Delgado selected former Buffalo mayoral candidate India Walton as his running mate for the gubernatorial primary. The selection of Walton, who had made national headlines in 2021 when she won the Democratic mayoral primary in Buffalo before losing the general election on a write-in campaign, signaled an attempt to position the campaign to Hochul's political left.

However, the campaign struggled to gain traction. The New York Times reported that Delgado's challenge "failed to gain" sufficient support to mount a competitive primary effort. The Times Union reported that Hochul had secured the Democratic party's support, leaving Delgado without a viable path forward.

On approximately February 10, 2026, Delgado announced the end of his gubernatorial campaign. City & State New York quoted Delgado as stating, "After much consideration, I've concluded that there" was no viable path to the nomination. The New York Times characterized the campaign as a challenge "from the left" that ultimately could not compete with the incumbent governor's organizational and institutional advantages.

Personal Life

Delgado married Lacey Schwartz in 2011. Their wedding was announced in The New York Times wedding announcements section. The couple has two children.

Delgado resided in Rhinebeck, New York, within the 19th congressional district, during his time as a congressman. His residency in the district was a subject of media attention during the 2018 campaign, with reports noting that he was relatively new to the area.

Recognition

Delgado's 2018 election to Congress was noted for its historic significance. He became the first African-American and the first person of Latino descent elected to Congress from Upstate New York, a milestone covered by multiple regional and national outlets. His subsequent appointment and election as lieutenant governor made him the first Latino to hold statewide office in New York.

Prior to his political career, Delgado received recognition for his athletic achievements. He was inducted into the Upstate New York Basketball Hall of Fame, an honor that reflected his accomplishments as a basketball player during his youth and college years in the region.

His 2018 congressional race received extensive national media coverage, with profiles and analysis appearing in The New York Times, Vox, CNBC, the New York Post, and Ebony, among other publications. An interview with Inside Elections during the campaign provided a detailed look at his candidacy and policy positions.

Legacy

Antonio Delgado's political career carries significance within the context of representation in New York State politics. His 2018 election broke a barrier in Upstate New York, a region that had never before sent an African-American or Latino representative to Congress. His ascension to the office of lieutenant governor further extended his role as the first Latino to hold statewide elected office in New York, a state with one of the largest Latino populations in the United States.

His 2018 campaign also became a case study in the intersection of race, culture, and political campaigning. The Republican attacks on his hip-hop recordings prompted widespread media analysis about the role of racial coding in American political advertising, with outlets such as Vox and The New York Times examining the implications of using a Black candidate's musical career as a weapon against him in a predominantly white district. Delgado's ability to win the district despite these attacks was noted as evidence of shifting political dynamics in Upstate New York.

His 2026 gubernatorial campaign, though unsuccessful, represented an unusual political episode in which a sitting lieutenant governor publicly broke with and challenged the governor who had appointed him. The episode highlighted tensions within New York's Democratic Party regarding policy direction and leadership.