Adams and Hood Entered Lieutenant Governor Race
Adrienne Adams and Todd Hood have joined the New York gubernatorial tickets for the upcoming state election cycle.
Updated on Oct. 13, 2026 in Elections
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Former New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and former sheriff Todd Hood have emerged as the lieutenant governor candidates for their respective parties. Adams is running alongside Governor Kathy Hochul, while Hood is joined on the ticket with Bruce Blakeman.
Why it matters
Candidates for lieutenant governor must be jointly nominated with gubernatorial picks, as state law requires a unified ticket to avoid separate primary elections. This structure ensures that the top two executive offices in New York operate under a singular platform.
The position of lieutenant governor carries an annual salary of $220,000 and manages an office budget exceeding $1 million. Candidates are legally mandated to run as a joint ticket with gubernatorial nominees and do not maintain separate campaign committees.
The players
Adrienne Adams
She is the former speaker of the New York City Council who served in that leadership role from 2022 to 2025.
Todd Hood
He is a former sheriff who first won election to that position in 2017.
Kathy Hochul
She is the current Governor of New York who is seeking reelection on a ticket with Adrienne Adams.
Bruce Blakeman
He is a political candidate currently running for New York governor alongside his chosen running mate Todd Hood.
The details
Adrienne Adams, who served as New York City Council speaker from 2022 to 2025, joins Kathy Hochul, while Todd Hood, elected sheriff in 2017, partners with Bruce Blakeman. Because state law mandates that these candidates run on the same ticket as the governor, they function as a unified executive pair throughout the campaign process.
Timeline
Todd Hood was elected sheriff in 2017.
Adrienne Adams served as New York City Council speaker from 2022 to 2025.
Kathy Hochul announced Adrienne Adams as her running mate in February 2026.
Political Context
Opponents of the current joint-nomination system argue that the mandate reduces internal party competition for the second-highest office in the state. Proponents contend that the law ensures the governor and lieutenant governor share a cohesive administrative vision.
The election of these candidates will determine the leadership overseeing a $1 million office budget and the implementation of state-wide executive policy. Voters should review the joint platforms of the two tickets to understand how the pairings would impact future executive decisions.
The takeaway
Voters should note that they are selecting a package deal, meaning a vote for a gubernatorial candidate is automatically a vote for their specific lieutenant governor running mate. Researching the combined executive vision of these pairings is essential for informed participation in the state election.
Further reading
For more information on upcoming races, visit the New York Elections section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Newsday.
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