GOP Likely to Gain House Seat of NY's Next Lt. Gov. Delgado

In deciding Tuesday to name Democratic U.S. Rep. Antonio Delgado as New York's lieutenant governor, Gov. Kathy Hochul may have also handed the House seat Delgado will relinquish to Empire State Republicans.

Duchess County Executive Marc Molinaro, certain to carry the Republican and Conservative Party lines in the 19th District (Hudson Valley), had been considered a strong contender against two-term Rep. Delgado.

With Delgado gone, Molinaro is considered a heavy favorite to flip his seat from Democrat to Republican.

"Marc is a very strong candidate and successful county executive," New York Conservative Party Chair Gerard Kassar told Newsmax, "He'll crush whoever opposes him in an open seat."

As the Republican and Conservative Party nominee for governor in 2018, Kassar recalled, Molinaro handily won the Hudson Valley over then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Molinaro drew roughly 38% running against Cuomo statewide.

As of Wednesday afternoon, no Democrat had emerged as an heir to Delgado. With New York's highest court striking down the new lines for the state's congressional districts last week, the jurists are expected to make the new 19th District more competitive.

Sources in the state expect a special election to be called for July using the current district lines. A primary will be held Aug. 23 using the new lines.

Shortly after Cuomo resigned last summer and Hochul became governor, she named then-state Sen. Brian Benjamin as the new lieutenant governor. Last month, the state was rocked by Benjamin's abrupt resignation following his arrest on charges of public corruption.

A new law passed by the Democratic-controlled legislature and signed into law by Hochul on Wednesday morning permits Benjamin's name to be removed from the August primary ballot and replaced by Delgado.

The new lieutenant governor will face two primary opponents.

Delgado, 45, is the 32^nd House Democrat to resign or announce retirement from the House.

John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.