Gov Kathy Hochul speaks at a ribbon cutting ceremony in the Bronx borough of New York. (AP File Photo)
New York, August 10 (PTI): With embattled New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announcing his resignation amid sexual harassment allegations, his Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul is now set to become the first woman governor in the state's 233-year history.
Cuomo, 63, said Tuesday that his resignation will be effective in 14 days and the transition should be seamless.
"Kathy Hochul, my lieutenant governor, is smart and competent. This transition must be seamless. We have a lot going on. I'm very worried about the delta variant (of coronavirus) and so should you be. But she can come up to speed quickly and my resignation will be effective in 14 days," Cuomo said.
Hochul, 62, is expected to serve in office as Governor till Cuomo's current four-year term ends in December 2022. She will be the first woman to lead New York state in its 233-year history.
"I agree with Governor Cuomo's decision to step down. It is the right thing to do and in the best interest of New Yorkers. As someone who has served at all levels of government and is next in the line of succession, I am prepared to lead as New York State's 57th Governor," Hochul tweeted.
Hochul was inaugurated as the 77th Lieutenant Governor of the State of New York on January 1, 2015. She was elected with Cuomo on November 4, 2014.
Prior to her election, she served as a Group Vice President for Strategic Relationships at M&T Bank, serving as liaison for community matters and significant economic development projects.
Born and raised in the state, Hochul through her political life has focussed on fighting for working families. 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, according to her profile.
From 2011 to 2013, then Congresswoman Kathy Hochul served in the House of Representatives from New York's 26th Congressional District, her official profile said.
Prior to her time in Congress, Hochul was the highest-ranking female elected official in Erie County while serving as County Clerk from 2007 to 2011.
The Lieutenant Governor also served 14 years as a Hamburg Town Council member.
Hochul holds a bachelor's degree from Syracuse University and a JD from Catholic University in Washington, DC.
Cuomo announced his resignation on Tuesday, a week after independent investigators said he had sexually harassed multiple women, including former and current state employees, by engaging in unwanted groping, kissing and hugging.
