Kathy Hochul

Kathy Hochul is an American Democratic politician who has been the 57th governor of New York since August 2021, the state’s first female governor. She previously served as lieutenant governor of New York and as a U.S. representative, and was re-elected in November 2026.

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Key facts

Early Life: Birth and Education

Hochul was born on August 27, 1958, in Buffalo, New York, and grew up in Western New York.⁠[1][2]

She earned a B.A. from Syracuse University in 1980 and a J.D. from Catholic University in 1983.⁠[2]

1984–1988Congressional Aide

From 1984 to 1986 Hochul was an aide to Democratic U.S. Representative John LaFalce, and from 1986 to 1988 an aide to Democratic U.S. Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan.⁠[2]

2003–2011Erie County Clerk

Hochul was deputy clerk of Erie County from 2003 to 2007 and Erie County clerk from 2007 to 2011.⁠[2][1]

2011–2013U.S. House of Representatives

From 2011 to 2013 Hochul represented New York’s 26th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives.⁠[2][1]

2015–2021Lieutenant Governor of New York

Hochul was lieutenant governor of New York from 2015 to 2021. In that role she chaired the statewide Regional Economic Development Councils and co-chaired three state bodies: the Heroin and Opioid Task Force, the Women’s Suffrage Commission and the Child Care Availability Task Force.⁠[2][1]

August 2021Succession as Governor

On August 24, 2021, after the resignation of Andrew Cuomo Andrew CuomoAndrew Cuomo is an American Democratic politician who served as the 56th Governor of New York from 2011 to 2021, having previously served as U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (1997–2001) and New York Attorney General. In August 2021, an independent investigation by the New York State Attorney General’s Office found that he had sexually harassed multiple women; he denied touching anyone inappropriately and then announced his resignation. In 2025 he ran for mayor of New York City, losing to Zohran Mamdani in both the Democratic primary and the general election.Open the full entry, Hochul became governor of New York, the state’s 57th governor and its first female governor.⁠[2][1]

2022Reproductive Health Care and Gun Legislation

After U.S. Supreme Court rulings on abortion and on gun regulation, Hochul led efforts in Albany to protect reproductive health care and strengthen gun safety laws.⁠[1]

On July 1, 2022, in response to the Supreme Court’s 6–3 decision in NYSRPA v. Bruen, which ended New York’s roughly 100-year requirement that applicants show “proper cause” for a concealed carry license, Hochul signed S.51001/A.41001: the law made carrying a concealed weapon in listed sensitive locations, including airports, courthouses, schools and public transportation, a crime, made “no carry” the default on private property unless the owner allows it, required concealed carry applicants to complete firearm training, and required background checks for ammunition purchases.⁠[3]

At the signing she said: “Today, we are taking swift and bold action to protect New Yorkers.”⁠[3]

November 2022Election as Governor

In the 2022 gubernatorial election Hochul defeated Republican Lee Zeldin by 3,140,415 votes (53.1%) to 2,762,581 (46.7%), and began a full term on January 1, 2023.⁠[2][1]

June–November 2026: Re-election as Governor

The Democratic gubernatorial primary scheduled for June 23, 2026, was canceled, and Hochul and her running mate for lieutenant governor, former New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, advanced without appearing on a primary ballot; Antonio Delgado was listed as a withdrawn or disqualified candidate.⁠[2][4]

In the November 3 general election Hochul faced Republican Bruce Blakeman Bruce BlakemanBruce Blakeman is an American Republican politician and attorney who was elected Nassau County executive in New York in November 2021 and re-elected in 2025, and was the Republican nominee for governor of New York in 2026.Open the full entry, the Nassau County executive, and his running mate Todd Hood. The Associated Press called the race for Hochul as soon as polls closed at 9 p.m.; preliminary state Board of Elections results with 92% of election districts reporting showed her leading 60% to 40%. Blakeman conceded that night after calling Hochul.⁠[4][2]

The Hochul–Adams ticket was the first all-women ticket to win statewide in New York. After her victory Hochul said: “I will never, ever, ever take your faith in me for granted.”⁠[4]

Related Organizations, Websites, and Public Accounts

Office of the Governor of New York: Official website: https://www.governor.ny.gov/ (opens in a new window).⁠[3]

X: Public account: https://x.com/govkathyhochul (opens in a new window).⁠[3]

YouTube YouTubeYouTube is Google’s video-sharing and creator platform, founded in 2005 by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim and acquired by Google in 2006. Built around video uploading, viewing, and creator earnings, the platform has developed Shorts, YouTube Music, Premium, YouTube TV, and products for children, and is headquartered in San Bruno, California, United States.Open the full entry: Public channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQJp4eSJgbFroNySGthEiqA (opens in a new window).⁠[3]