Making history, Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul will become the first-ever female head of the state of New York.
However, this comes after tainted former NY Governor Andrew Cuomo resigned from the office on Tuesday, 10 August, following a government-led probe that corroborated sexual-harassment accusations laid down by 11 women.
Hochul, 62, will serve as Governor till Cuomo's current four-year term ends in December 2022.
'Agree With Cuomo's Resignation': Hochul Tweets
People familiar with the matter have said that she was preparing for a possible succession in the recent days, reported The Wall Street Journal. Since 2015, Hochul has been second-in-command to Cuomo, although she hasn't been a part of the Democratic governor’s inner circle.
Hochul took to Twitter and said that she agrees with Governor Cuomo's decision to step down.
Last week, after the report's of sexual harassment on Cuomo. Hochul took to Twitter and called his behaviour "repulsive" and "unlawful".
From Student Politician to Congress: Hochul's Political Journey
The governor-in-waiting comes from a working-class family in Buffalo.
She holds a bachelor's degree from Syracuse University. Later, she attended law school at the Catholic University Columbus School in Washington DC in 1983.
She then served as an aide to Rep John LaFalce from 1984 to 1986, followed by an aide to Sen Daniel Patrick Moynihan from 1986 to 1988 as Deputy Clerk of Erie County in New York from 2003 to 2007 and then as Clerk of Erie County from 2007 to 2011.
In 2011, Hochul was elected to the United States House by special election to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Rep Chris Lee.
The same year, she contested on a Working Families ticket. She defeated Jane L Corwin, who fought on Conservative Party and Independence Party tickets, Jack Davis, and Ian L Murphy.
The Lieutenant Governor also served 14 years as a Hamburg Town Council member from 1994 to 2007.
In 2014, Cuomo selected her to be his running mate. Hochul was inaugurated as the 77th Lieutenant Governor of the State of New York on 1 January 2015.
Focussed on Fighting for Working Families
Hochul, throughout her political life, has built a career focussed on fighting for working families.
According to her offical website, she was "a strong voice in the successful fight for a USD 15 minimum wage and paid family leave. Every day, Kathy is working with the Governor and state legislature to prioritise making lives better for all New York families – because no one working full-time should live in poverty."
She has been endorsed by the Human Rights Campaign and has been a lifelong champion for the LGBTQ community and the fight for equality.
In 2006, Hochul joined her mother and aunt in establishing the Kathleen Mary House, a transitional home for victims of domestic violence, and served on its board of directors.
Apart from this, Hochul also leads advocacy campaigns for many of the Governor’s signature initiatives – from the “Enough is Enough” sexual assault prevention programme to passing the strictest laws against sexual harassment in the nation – she prioritises being a voice for all women as she visits all 62 counties every year.
According to The Wall Street Journal, as Hochul assumed higher office, some of her political views also shifted with time.
She now supports a strict gun control law enacted in 2013 and issuing driver’s licenses to immigrants who aren’t in the country legally, matching Cuomo’s stances on the issues.
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