PETER R. BARBER Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado speaks in the YMCA gymnasium Saturday, June 7, 2025.

Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado speaks in the YMCA gymnasium Saturday.

PETER R. BARBER Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado waits with his family to take the stage in the YMCA gymnasium Saturday, June 7, 2025.

PETER R. BARBER Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado points to the crowd with son Maxell, wife Lacey and son Coltrane in the YMCA gymnasium Saturday, June 7, 2025.

PETER R. BARBER Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado waves as he takes the stage in the YMCA gymnasium Saturday, June 7, 2025.

PETER R. BARBER Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado speaks in the YMCA gymnasium Saturday, June 7, 2025.

PETER R. BARBER Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado speaks in the YMCA gymnasium Saturday, June 7, 2025.

PETER R. BARBER Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado speaks in the YMCA gymnasium Saturday, June 7, 2025.

PETER R. BARBER Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado hugs his mother Selma Hill he takes the stage in the YMCA gymnasium with his twin sons Maxwell and Coltrane and wife Lacey Saturday, June 7, 2025.

PETER R. BARBER Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado speaks in the YMCA gymnasium Saturday, June 7, 2025.

PETER R. BARBER Antonia Delgado speaks in the YMCA gymnasium Saturday, June 7, 2025.

Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado speaks in the YMCA gymnasium Saturday, June 7, 2025.

Antonio Delgado is not backing down.

The Schenectady native called for “decisive, transformational leadership” in a passionate speech to supporters at the local YMCA on Saturday.

“‘I’m tired of figuring out how to protect something we know is broken,” he said. “I want to know, and I know you want to know: Where are we going, what are we fighting for?”

The lieutenant governor was introduced by his mother, Thelma P. Hill.

“Indeed, Antonio is inspirational,” she said. “He serves their sight, hope and motivation. Indeed, he is loyal, intentional with his words. Indeed, he is dedicated, fully committed to serving this day. Indeed he is effective, he believes in talks of change. He delivers it.”

With his first campaign ad on June 1, Delgado announced he is challenging incumbent Gov. Kathy Hochul in the June 2026 Democratic primary.

Over the last two years, Delgado and Hochul have publicly disagreed. Breaking with the governor, he called on then-President Joe Biden to step out of the 2024 race, and most recently, he called on embattled New York City Mayor Eric Adams to step down.

Delgado graduated from Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons High School in the Electric City before attending Colgate University in Central New York and later Harvard Law School. He lives in Rhinebeck with his wife and their two school-age children.

After Delgado announced his candidacy for governor, Democrats across the state rushed to endorse Hochul. Three Schenectady Democrats — Mayor Gary McCarthy, Schenectady County Legislature Chairman Gary Hughes and County Democratic Committee Chair Frank Salamone — all announced Friday hat they’re backing Hochul for re-election. The timing of the announcement, just a day before Delgado’s official campaign kickoff in his hometown, wasn’t lost on political watchers and close followers of state politics.

Delgado said he isn’t concerned about the lack of endorsements from his hometown officials.

“My reaction is always gonna be centered around the people that I try to serve, the folks on the ground who are looking for a better way and that’s where I find my inspiration — from them,” he said.

Delgado said he plans to address generational poverty in Schenectady.

“Part of this is how we address........

© The Leader Herald