New Yorkers awoke Tuesday morning to a new governor at the helm in Albany — the first female chief executive in state history.
Kathy Hochul officially took the oath of office as New York’s 57th governor at midnight Tuesday during a small ceremony held at the State Capitol in Albany. New York Chief Judge Janet DiFiore administered the oath of office to Hochul as her husband, Bill, held the Bible upon which the former lieutenant governor swore her allegiance to the state and U.S. constitutions, and to faithfully execute the office’s duties.
Hochul succeeds former Governor Andrew Cuomo, who officially resigned at midnight on Aug. 23 amid the sexual harassment scandal that crippled his stewardship of the state.
Gov. Hochul will serve, at the very least, the remainder of Cuomo’s third and final term in office, which expires at the end of 2022; she’s already declared herself a candidate for a full term as governor in next year’s election.
The new governor took the oath of office again during a 10 a.m. ceremony on Tuesday in the Red Room of the State Capitol, with members of her family and top state legislative officials looking on. She’ll also deliver an address to New Yorkers at 3 p.m. today.
