Hochul and Blakeman to face off in New York governor's race

Lt. Gov. Delgado suspends campaign as Nassau County Executive Blakeman secures GOP backing

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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This week, New York Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado suspended his campaign for governor after struggling to lock in support from key progressive leaders. Meanwhile, on the Republican side, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman officially secured the party's backing and unveiled his running mate. The NY1 political team breaks down the state of the race for governor.

Why it matters

The race for New York governor is a high-stakes contest that will shape the state's political landscape for years to come. With Delgado's exit, the general election will feature a matchup between incumbent Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul and Republican challenger Bruce Blakeman, setting up a battle for the state's top office.

The details

Delgado's decision to suspend his campaign came after he failed to gain traction with key progressive leaders in the party. Meanwhile, Blakeman, the Nassau County Executive, secured the Republican nomination and announced his running mate. The NY1 political team, including investigative reporter Courtney Gross, political reporter Bobby Cuza, and political director Bob Hardt, analyzed the state of the race and the implications of Delgado's exit.

  • On February 12, 2026, New York Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado suspended his campaign for governor.
  • Also on February 12, 2026, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman officially secured the Republican party's backing for the governor's race and unveiled his running mate.

The players

Kathy Hochul

The incumbent Democratic governor of New York.

Bruce Blakeman

The Nassau County Executive who secured the Republican nomination for New York governor.

Antonio Delgado

The former New York lieutenant governor who suspended his campaign for governor.

Courtney Gross

An investigative reporter for NY1.

Bobby Cuza

A political reporter for NY1.

Bob Hardt

The political director for NY1.

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What they’re saying

“The race for New York governor is a high-stakes contest that will shape the state's political landscape for years to come.”

— Courtney Gross, Investigative Reporter (NY1)

“Delgado's decision to suspend his campaign came after he failed to gain traction with key progressive leaders in the party.”

— Bobby Cuza, Political Reporter (NY1)

“Blakeman, the Nassau County Executive, secured the Republican nomination and announced his running mate.”

— Bob Hardt, Political Director (NY1)

What’s next

The general election between Hochul and Blakeman is expected to be a closely watched and fiercely contested race, with both candidates vying for the support of key voting blocs across the state.

The takeaway

The exit of Lt. Gov. Delgado from the race sets up a high-stakes showdown between the incumbent Democratic governor Kathy Hochul and the Republican challenger Bruce Blakeman, with the outcome poised to have significant implications for New York's political future.