Kathy Hochul

Kathleen Courtney Hochul ( ; born August 27, 1958) is an American politician serving as the 57th governor of New York since 2021. Before becoming governor, she was the lieutenant governor from 2015 to 2021 under Andrew Cuomo. She was also a U.S. Representative for New York's 26th congressional district from 2011 to 2013. Hochul is a member of the Democratic Party.

Hochul is the state's first female governor and is also the first female governor from Upstate New York.

Early life
Hochul was born Kathleen Courtney in Buffalo, New York. She was politically active during her college years at Syracuse University, becoming a student government vice president. She received a Bachelor of Arts with a major in political science from the Maxwell School of Syracuse University in 1980 and a Juris Doctor from the Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law in Washington, D.C., in 1984.

 Governor of New York (2021–present) 
On August 10, 2021, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced his resignation, effective August 24. Cuomo was accused of sexual misconduct. 

Hochul was sworn in as governor at 12:00 AM Eastern Time (ET) on August 24, 2021. Hochul is the state's first female governor. She is also the first New York governor from outside New York City and its immediate suburbs since 1932, when Franklin Delano Roosevelt left office. 

On August 12, Hochul confirmed that she planned to run for a full term as governor in 2022. She was the first Democrat to announce a 2022 gubernatorial candidacy after Cuomo said he would resign.

Hochul won a full term in office, defeating Republican nominee Lee Zeldin in the closest New York gubernatorial election since 1994 and the closest Democratic victory since 1982. Hochul's election marked the first time a woman was elected governor of New York.

Personal life
Hochul is married to William J. Hochul Jr., the former United States Attorney for the Western District of New York. They have two children. Hochul is Catholic.

In 2024, Hochul was diagnosed with basal-cell carcinoma, a common form of skin cancer.

References

Other websites
 Governor Kathy Hochul official government website
 Kathy Hochul for Governor campaign website
 Congresswoman Kathy Hochul U.S. House website (archived)



Category:1958 births
Category:Living people
Category:United States representatives from New York (state)
Category:Governors of New York (state)
Category:Lieutenant Governors of New York (state)
Category:Politicians from Buffalo, New York
Category:Democratic Party (United States) politicians
Category:Lawyers from Buffalo, New York
Category:American Roman Catholics
Category:20th-century Roman Catholics
Category:21st-century Roman Catholics