Gov. Kathy Hochul chooses NY state senator to serve as lieutenant governor, reports say

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul plans to appoint a state senator from Harlem to succeed her as lieutenant governor, according to multiple reports today.

State Sen. Brian A. Benjamin, 44, a progressive Democrat representing the 30th Senate District, would succeed Hochul, who was sworn into office on Tuesday.

Benjamin would be New York’s second Black lieutenant governor after David Paterson. He has moved up quickly in the Senate’s leadership since winning a special election in 2017. He is currently senior assistant majority leader and chair of the Senate Committee on Revenue and Budget.

Hochul has not confirmed Benjamin will be her choice. NY 1 and The New York Times reported today that Benjamin was Hochul’s pick, citing sources who were not identified.

Benjamin is a Harlem native whose mother was a Caribbean immigrant who had no health insurance when he was born.

After graduating from Brown University and receiving a master’s in business administration from Harvard, Benjamin worked as an investment banker at Morgan Stanley. He later returned to Harlem to build affordable housing.

In the state Senate, Benjamin helped convince leaders to divest the state’s public pension funds from private prisons.

State Sen. John Mannion, D-Geddes, praised Hochul’s move to appoint Benjamin.

“Brian Benjamin is smart, dedicated, and cares deeply about the same things I do – good schools, good healthcare, strong communities, and a vibrant economy,” Mannion said today.

“During our service together in the Senate, Senator Benjamin always listened to all sides of an issue before determining the best path forward,” Mannion said. “I am confident that he has the correct temperament for the job and is prepared to assume the duties and responsibilities of his office on day one.”

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