Cuomo’s slump points to the first woman who would occupy the governorship of New York: Kathy Hochul
While the voices of condemnation and calls for the resignation of Andrew Cuomo grow, support also increases for the possible rise of Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, who would be the first woman in history to head the executive branch in New York.
Ironically, that female milestone would be achieved by the allegations of sexual harassment against Cuomo, although it has also been questioned long before by a scandal that is theoretically greater: the mass deaths of the elderly during the pandemic.
NY belongs to the minority of 20 states in the country that have never had a female governor. Coincidence or not, regarding International Women’s Day, this week Hochul wrote on Twitter: “New York has been at the forefront of women’s rights, and women have led the way in making history.”
In recent days, political support for the lieutenant governor has gained momentum. Los 59 state legislators who issued a statement Thursday calling on Cuomo to step down, expressed their support for Hochul, while New York is counting down to pass its budget on April 1, amid the unprecedented crisis of the pandemic.
“We have a Lieutenant Governor who can step in and lead for the remainder of her term, and this is in the best interest of New Yorkers at this critical time,” they wrote, citing New York Post.
“Andrew Cuomo has multiple allegations of sexual assault and sexual harassment…Kathy Hochul does not,” Bill Neidhardt, a spokesman for the Mayor Bill de Blasio, Cuomo’s political enemy, even though they are both from the same party.
Eric Adams, NYC Democratic mayoral candidate and Brooklyn Borough President, echoed the sentiment in a similar statement: “I am confident that Lieutenant Governor Hochul will manage the budget process and that our attorney general will conduct a thorough investigation.” .
The current 62-year-old lieutenant governor would be required by law to take over from Cuomo, whose third term would officially end. on January 1, 2023. Cuomo (63) has so far denied wrongdoing and has given no public indication that he is considering resigning or even abandoning his desire to run for office for the fourth time. His late father, Mario Cuomo, was also governor for three terms (1983/1994), until he was defeated by George Pataki (R) when seeking another re-election.
“Kathy is absolutely ready”, stated at the end of February New York Post Erie County Democratic Party Chairman Jeremy Zellner. “There is one word that describes our lieutenant governor: tenacious,” he continued, noting Hochul’s ability to appeal to both rural and urban Democrats. “She knows what to do for the people of New York.”
Born in Buffalo (NY) to a lower-middle-class family, today Hochul is a wife and mother of two who received her bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University and studied law at the Catholic University of Washington, DC.
At the beginning of the 1990s, he stopped practicing law to enter local politics, achieving important posts afterwards. In 2003 she was appointed deputy by Erie County Clerk David Swarts. When he resigned in 2007, Ella Hochul won the election to finish her term and was re-elected in 2010, but she did not finish that term as she headed for Washington.
hochul, who describes herself as an “Independent Democrat,” became a Representative in 2011 for New York’s 26th congressional district, which encompasses parts of Erie and Niagara counties, defeating frontrunner Jane Corwin (R) in a special election.
She was the first Democratic Representative from that district in more than 40 years. However, his presence in Washington was fleeting, and in 2012 he narrowly lost re-election to Chris Collins (R). That time Hochul was supported by the National Rifle Association (NRA), which seems to have upset his voters.
When Robert Duffy, who served as lieutenant governor during Cuomo’s first term, announced that he would not seek re-election in 2014, the governor gave Hochul the nod.
In her duties as lieutenant governor, Hochul has remained relatively anonymous. and it was not even mentioned in the controversial memoirs that Cuomo published last fall praising his management of the pandemic.
When calls for resignation against Cuomo began for alleged sexual harassment, Hochul claimed that “Everyone deserves to have their voice heard and taken seriously.”
Survived by her husband, William J. Hochul Jr., is an attorney who was the United States Attorney for the Western District of New York from 2010 to 2016.
New York has been at the forefront of women’s rights with women leading the way to make history.
Check out these great locations to experience this history and be inspired to take action. #NYWomenLead #WomensHistoryMonth
https://t.co/SqakNVC19o— Kathy Hochul (@LtGovHochulNY) March 10, 2021
Great to be joined this morning by the President of the @BuffaloNAACPReverend Mark Blue!
We received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and feel stronger than ever. 💪💪 pic.twitter.com/M6aFTBvH0E
— Kathy Hochul (@LtGovHochulNY) March 12, 2021
“There’s no question that Kathy Hochul could do the job of governor on day one.”https://t.co/AE84eump0X
— Jon Campbell (@JonCampbellGAN) March 13, 2021
