Many of the supporters who came out over the weekend to back Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado's bid for governor knew him during his time in Congress, but strategists said it's unlikely his former constituents will make up for his lacking name recognition downstate.

Delgado, a former congressman from the Hudson Valley, said he's challenging his boss Gov. Kathy Hochul in order to change New York's status quo. He held a hometown rally in his native Schenectady to round out his first week on the campaign trail for the 2026 race for governor — becoming the first person to officially challenge the incumbent executive.

"I want to be clear: I am not just doing this; it's not just me, it's we," Delgado said during a 45-minute speech Saturday at the Schenectady YMCA. "...The status quo is broken and we the people deserve better. Every single New Yorker deserves better leadership.”

Many of the 200-plus supporters of Delgado at Saturday's rally knew him from his time in Congress, and traveled to Schenectady from nearby rural counties where his name recognition is the strongest. 

But state history shows the former Hudson Valley congressman's bid to become the Democratic candidate for governor is a longshot. In the past, lieutenant governors who have challenged their bosses to lead the executive have been unsuccessful, like former Lt. Gov. Mary Anne Krupsak against Gov. Hugh Carey and former Lt. Gov. Betsy McCaughey Ross opposing then-Gov. George Pataki.

Delgado said he's frustrated by the governor's leadership and her decision to not give him a larger role governing the state as her second-in-command — something he said she agreed to do before he took the job to fill the then-vacant position in May 2022.

"I was very excited to do it in a different way as it was, unfortunately, the default setting kind of just took it back," Delgado told reporters Saturday. "It just snapped back. And the way it has been, the way it seems to have always been ultimately became what showed up again. There was no real change…that's why for me, it matters to keep serving as lieutenant governor, because I stepped into this role really appreciating the responsibility of it."

Delgado's 45-minute speech in the Electric City largely focused on economic inequality, and his plans to raise the minimum wage between $20 and $22 per hour, and increasing Medicaid reimbursement rates to strengthen health care systems. 

Hochul appointed Delgado as LG in 2022, taking him from a Hudson Valley Congressional seat that's one of the most competitive swing districts in the country.

"We just love him," said U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Gary Flaherty, the chief administrator of the Oneonta Veterans Outreach Center. "He's just a super guy. He's never, ever not been there when I needed help with my veterans...I just think he's what we need and the dark days that we're in, we need somebody that is almost perfect."

But many voters don't know who Delgado is, and it's unlikely that his decision to take on his boss will be a winning strategy.

Many supporters at the rally said they aren't backing Delgado because they dislike Gov. Hochul, but because they loved him during his three-year stint in Washington. 

"Hochul has done tremendous things for New York and I have been a big supporter of hers, but I think this is an opportunity for the voters to hear different perspectives, hear different strategies and different ideas," said Greene County Democratic Committee chair Lori Torgersen, who served as a county legislator when Delgado was in Congress.

"He delivered for us in CD-19, he’s done tremendous things in Greene County," Torgersen added. "I have all the faith in him that he can deliver the bold, transformational change we need in government."

Several young people were in the crowd and said Delgado is a candidate who will inject excitement into the Democratic party for a new generation.

Julian Kovacs, 24, voted for Delgado when he was a student at Hartwick College in Oneonta, which Delgado represented in Congress. Kovacs said it's time for New York to have new Democratic leadership. 

"He's one of the proponents for expanding Medicare or Medicaid coverage," said Kovacs, a member of the Colonie Democratic Committee who is running for Colonie Town Board. "I think challenging the current governor of New York is important. As lieutenant governor, he knows when to draw the line and knows when there's a better vision and a better way forward."

But Delgado won an 11-county congressional district that's smaller than Brooklyn — the borough with a significant portion of the state's Democratic primary votes.

Hank Sheinkopf, a Democratic political strategist, said Delgado doesn't have the name recognition, or campaign funds, to succeed. And he'd advise the lieutenant governor to look for a new job in the political world.

"He's not known," Sheinkopf told Spectrum News 1 on Monday. "Nobody votes for nobody that nobody knows. If they don't know you, they're not voting for you, no matter how much they might like or dislike the other candidate — especially for governor." 

Sheinkopf said expects Hochul to easily defeat Delgado in New York City and the suburbs in next year's primary, arguing anyone who takes on an incumbent governor pays a price.

He added that a Democrat cannot win a statewide race without strong recognition and support downstate — something Delgado doesn't have, and unlikely for him to overcome.

"If you don't win this in New York City, you don't win the election," Sheinkopf said. "What's his game plan to win New York City? Because he's Black and he's Latin? No, that's not sufficient. It won't matter."

Recent news reports show Delgado has had zero public events about a third of the time since he took office. 

Hochul stripped Delgado of his government staff and responsibilities since their public split earlier this year. 

Delgado on Saturday justified his $220,000 salary to taxpayers, saying he's continuing to travel the state and meet with people, which is his job as lieutenant governor.

"The job is actually to get out there and connect with people, the job is actually to get out there and listen," he said. "I've traveled 60,000 miles since I've been lieutenant governor [for] over 1,000 events. And I will continue to do that every single step of the way. As lieutenant governor, I can't control when somebody decides to take away my staff...What I can't control is my connection to New Yorkers. And I'm going to continue to lean in on my connection to New Yorkers. New Yorkers who, by the way, independently elected me to serve."

Gov. Kathy Hochul's campaign declined to comment.