New York's Kathy Hochul forms first women-led ticket, selecting Adrienne Adams as her running mate

Source: Politico

02/04/2026 12:30 PM EST


ALBANY, New York — Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul has selected former New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams as her running mate for a women-led ticket — a first in Empire State history for a major party. Adams’ selection is simultaneously a bold and safe choice for the governor.

Hochul and Adams are both moderate, church-going mothers who take a low-key approach to their jobs and are around the same age. Yet the governor, who holds a massive polling advantage over her political rivals, is making a statement by picking a woman to be her No. 2 in a state government that, until recently, has been male dominated.

“Adrienne and I are no strangers to rolling up our sleeves and getting results for working New Yorkers,” Hochul said in a statement. “Together, we’re going to continue investing in public safety, bringing costs down, and making this state a place where all families can thrive.”

Adams would be the first Black woman to hold the position and, as a Queens native, brings geographic balance to a ticket led by the state’s Buffalo-born governor.

Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/04/new-yorks-kathy-hochul-forms-first-all-women-ticket-selecting-adrienne-adams-as-her-running-mate-00764469