NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday formally announced her pick for lieutenant governor: Harlem state Sen. Brian Benjamin.
“I am so delighted to announce my partner — and the word ‘partner’ means something to me — someone who will work side by side in the trenches, someone who will be out there championing our policies and our administration’s agenda in every corner of the state, with a real focus on New York City,” Hochul said at a rally on West 125th Street.
“And any truth to the rumor that I am picking this person because I love his wife and baby girl, Caroline, it’s not true,” the new governor joked. “But she is the cutest little girl in the state of New York.”
“I am here to introduce my partner, Caroline’s father, Brian Benjamin, our senator,” she added, describing the lawmaker as a “champion of criminal justice reform, affordable housing and tenant protections.”
Benjamin, 44, returned Hochul’s praise in his own remarks after her introduction.
“You know, Gov. Hochul is someone who I have a lot of faith in. And it’s not just because we did so many important thing together over my four years being a state Senator,” he said. “It’s because of the moments we had, the conversations we had, where I was able to see inside of her heart, and I knew the kind of person she was before she had power.”
“And you can tell a lot about someone before they have that ultimate power. A kind woman. A person of integrity. A person who believes that constituent services matter and believes that it’s bigger than us,” he added. “It’s about the people of the state of New York. That is your governor, Kathy Hochul.”
Hochul’s announcement came a day after sources confirmed to 1010 WINS that she had tapped Benjamin to serve as lieutenant governor.
In a statement released after the announcement, New York Attorney General Letitia James said Benjamin “has long been a champion for communities in New York City, and as our next Lieutenant Governor, I know he will continue this fight for all New Yorkers."
"His track record and commitment to public service will help advance our state, and I look forward to working with him in his new capacity," she added.
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