Kathy Hochul | |
|---|---|
 Hochul in 2024 | |
| 57th Governor of New York | |
| Assumed office August 24, 2021 | |
| Lieutenant |
|
| Preceded by | Andrew Cuomo |
| Lieutenant Governor of New York | |
| In office January 1, 2015 – August 23, 2021 | |
| Governor | Andrew Cuomo |
| Preceded by | Robert Duffy |
| Succeeded by | Andrea Stewart-Cousins (acting) |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromNew York's26th district | |
| In office June 1, 2011 – January 3, 2013 | |
| Preceded by | Chris Lee |
| Succeeded by | Chris Collins (redistricting) |
| 8thClerk ofErie County | |
| In office April 10, 2007 – June 1, 2011 | |
| Preceded by | David Swarts |
| Succeeded by | Chris Jacobs |
| Member of theHamburg Town Board | |
| In office January 3, 1994 – April 10, 2007 | |
| Preceded by | Patrick Hoak |
| Succeeded by | Richard Smith |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Kathleen Courtney (1958-08-27)August 27, 1958 (age 67) Buffalo, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Residence | New York Executive Mansion |
| Education | |
| Signature |  |
| Website | |
Kathleen Courtney Hochul (/ˈhoʊkəl/HOH-kəl;[1]née Courtney; born August 27, 1958) is an American politician and lawyer who has served since 2021 as the 57thgovernor of New York. A member of theDemocratic Party, she is New York'sfirst female governor.
Born inBuffalo, New York, Hochul graduated fromSyracuse University in 1980 and received aJuris Doctor from theCatholic University of AmericaColumbus School of Law inWashington, D.C. in 1984. After serving on theHamburgTown Board and as deputyErie County clerk, Hochul was appointed Erie County clerk in 2007. She was elected to a full term as Erie County clerk in 2007 and reelected in 2010. In May 2011, Hochul won a four-candidatespecial election for New York's 26th congressional district, becoming the firstDemocrat to represent the district in 40 years. She served as aU.S. representative from 2011 to 2013, and was narrowly defeated for reelection in2012 byChris Collins followingredistricting.
In the2014 New York gubernatorial election,Andrew Cuomo selected Hochul as his running mate; after they won the election, Hochul was inaugurated as lieutenant governor. Cuomo and Hochul were reelected in2018. Hochul took office as governor of New York on August 24, 2021, after Cuomo resigned amidallegations of sexual harassment. She won a full term inthe 2022 election against Republican U.S. RepresentativeLee Zeldin in the narrowest New York gubernatorial election since1994.
Hochul was born Kathleen Courtney inBuffalo, New York, the second of the six children of John P. "Jack" Courtney, then a college student and clerical worker, and Patricia Ann "Pat" (Rochford) Courtney, ahomemaker.[2][3] The family struggled financially during Hochul's early years and for a time lived in a trailer near a steel plant.[2] By the time Hochul was in college, however, her father was working for theinformation technology company he later headed.[2] Her family isIrish Catholic.[4]
Hochul graduated from Hamburg High School in 1976.[5] She was politically active during her college years atSyracuse University, becoming a student government vice president. She led a boycott of the student bookstore over high prices and an unsuccessful effort to name the university stadium after alumnusErnie Davis, a star running back who died of cancer before he could join theNational Football League.[2][6] Hochul also lobbied the university todivest from apartheid South Africa.[6] The university divested in November 1985, more than five years after she graduated.[7] In the spring of 1979, the student newspaperThe Daily Orange awarded her an "A", citing the campus changes as evidence for the grade.[6] She received aBachelor of Arts with a major inpolitical science from theMaxwell School of Syracuse University in 1980 and aJuris Doctor from theCatholic University of AmericaColumbus School of Law inWashington, D.C., in 1984.[2][8][9]
After graduation from law school, Hochul began working for a Washington, D.C., law firm, but she found the work unsatisfying.[2] She then worked as legal counsel and legislative assistant to U.S. RepresentativeJohn LaFalce and U.S. SenatorDaniel Moynihan, and also for theNew York State Assembly, before seeking elected office.[10][11]
Hochul became involved in local issues as a supporter of small businesses facing competition fromWalmart stores[11] and, in the process, caught the attention of local Democratic leaders.[12] On January 3, 1994, theHamburg Town Board voted to appoint her to the vacant seat on the board caused by Patrick H. Hoak's resignation to become town supervisor.[13][14] She was elected to a full term in November 1994, on the Democratic andConservative lines,[15][16] and was reelected in 1998, 2002, and 2006. She resigned on April 10, 2007,[17] and was succeeded by former state assemblymember Richard A. Smith.[18] While on the board, she led efforts to removetoll booths from parts of theNew York State Thruway system.[19][20]
In May 2003,Erie County ClerkDavid Swarts appointed Hochul as his deputy.[10][15] GovernorEliot Spitzer named Swarts to his administration in January 2007 and appointed Hochul to succeed Swarts as county clerk in April 2007.[17] In an intervention that raised her statewide profile, Hochul opposed Spitzer's proposal to allow undocumented immigrants to obtain driver's licenses without producingSocial Security cards. She said that if the proposal went into effect, she would seek to have any such applicants arrested.[21][22] On November 6, 2007, Hochul was elected to fill the remainder of Swarts's term.[23][24] On November 14, 2007, Spitzer abandoned his effort to allow undocumented immigrants to obtain driver's licenses.[25]
In 2010, New York Democrats proposed mandating that all New York drivers obtain new license plates. The proposal was expected to bring the state government $129 million in revenue. Hochul opposed the proposal, and it was withdrawn.[26]
In November 2010, Hochul ran for reelection on fourballot lines (Democratic,Conservative,Independence, andWorking Families), defeating Republican Clifton Bergfeld with 80% of the vote.[11][27]
After Hochul's departure as county clerk, newly elected County Clerk Chris Jacobs discovered a backlog of mail and later said that $792,571 in checks were found in it.[28]
Hochul ran in the May 24, 2011,special election to fill the seat inNew York's 26th congressional district left vacant by the resignation ofChris Lee. She was theDemocratic Party andWorking Families Party nominee.[29] Hochul's residence inHamburg, just outside the 26th district, became an issue during her campaign, though it did not disqualify her from seeking the seat.[30] One month after her victory, she moved into the district.[30][31]
TheRepublican andConservative Party nominee,State AssemblymemberJane Corwin, was at first strongly favored to win in theRepublican-leaning district, which had sent a Republican to Congress for the previous four decades.[2][32][33] A late April poll had Corwin leading Hochul by 36% to 31%;Tea Party candidateJack Davis trailed at 23%.[34] An early May poll gave Hochul a lead of 35% to 31%,[35] and shortly thereafter the nonpartisanRothenberg Political Report called the race a toss-up.[36] Additional polling in the days immediately before the election had Hochul leading by four- and six-point margins.[37][38]
AWashington Post article noted that in the face of a possible Hochul victory, there was already a "full blown spin war" about the meaning of the result. The article said that Democrats viewed the close race as a result of Republicans' budget proposalThe Path to Prosperity, and, in particular, their proposal forMedicare reform. Republicans viewed it as the result of Davis's third-party candidacy.[39]
The campaign featured a number of negative television ads, withFactCheck accusing both sides of "taking liberties with the facts". In particular, FactCheck criticized the Democrats' ads for claiming that Corwin would "essentially end Medicare", even though the plan left Medicare intact for current beneficiaries.[33] The organization also faulted the Republicans for ads portraying Hochul as a puppet of formerSpeakerNancy Pelosi, and for claiming that Hochul planned to cutSocial Security andMedicare benefits.[33]
Hochul was endorsed byEMILY's List, apolitical action committee that supports Democratic women candidates who supportabortion rights.[40][41] She was the fifth largest recipient of EMILY's List funds in 2011, receiving more than $27,000 in bundled donations.[41] TheDemocrat and Chronicle endorsed Hochul "for her tenacity and independence",[42] whileThe Buffalo News endorsed her for her positions on preserving Medicare and her record of streamlining government.[43]
Hochul defeated Corwin 47% to 42%, with Davis receiving 9% andGreen Party candidateIan Murphy 1%.[44]
Before the 2012 election, Hochul's district was renumbered the 27th during the redistricting process. The district was redrawn in a manner that caused it to be more heavily Republican.[45] Hochul was endorsed by theNRA Political Victory Fund.[46][47] She lost to RepublicanChris Collins, 51% to 49%.[47]
In Hochul's first few weeks in office, she co-sponsored bills withBrian Higgins to streamline the passport acquisition process.[48] She also met withthen-PresidentBarack Obama about the economy and job creation and introduced a motion to restore the Republican cuts to theCommodity Futures Trading Commission. She looked for ways to reduce the federal budget deficit and expressed support for reducingMedicaid spending as long as the reductions would not be achieved in the form ofblock grants offered to states, as proposed in the Republican budget blueprint. She also spoke with Obama about ending tax breaks for oil companies and protecting small businesses.[49]
While campaigning for Congress, Hochul called herself an "independentDemocrat".[11] In an interview with theLockport Union-Sun & Journal, she cited as examples of her independence her opposition to then-GovernorEliot Spitzer's driver's license program for undocumented immigrants and her opposition to then-GovernorDavid Paterson's 2010 proposal to raise revenue by requiring all vehicle owners to buy new license plates.[11]
Hochul was one of 17 Democrats to join Republicans in supporting a resolution findingUnited States Attorney GeneralEric Holder in contempt of Congress relating to theATF gunwalking scandal, a vote on which the NRA, which supported the resolution, announced it would be scoring lawmakers.[50] Later in 2012, Hochul "trumpeted" her endorsement by the NRA and noted that she was just one of twoNew YorkDemocrats to receive its support.[51]
In 2014,Robert Duffy announced that he would not runfor reelection as lieutenant governor.[52] Incumbent Governor Andrew Cuomo was running for a second term. After Duffy's announcement, Cuomo named Hochul—who had been working as a government relations executive forM&T Bank—as his choice for lieutenant governor.[53] On May 22, 2014, the delegates to the state Democratic convention formally endorsed Hochul for lieutenant governor.[54]
In September, Cuomo and Hochul won their Democratic primary elections, with Hochul defeating Timothy Wu.[55] They were also the Working Families Party nominees.[56] (In New York, candidates for governor and lieutenant governor are nominated separately, but run as a ticket in the general election.)[57] In November, the Cuomo/Hochul ticket won the general election.[58] Hochul was sworn in as lieutenant governor on January 1, 2015.[59]
In the 2018 Democratic primary for lieutenant governor of New York, Hochul defeatedJumaane Williams, a member of theNew York City Council, 53.3%–46.7%.[60][61] In the November 6 general election, the Cuomo-Hochul ticket defeated the Republican ticket ofMarc Molinaro and Julie Killian, 59.6%–36.2%.[62]
Cuomo tasked Hochul with chairing the 10 regional economic development councils that were the centerpiece of his economic development plan.[63] He also appointed her to chair the Task Force on Heroin and Opioid Abuse and Addiction. In this capacity, she convened eight outreach sessions across New York State to hear from experts and community members in search of answers to the heroin crisis and works to develop a comprehensive strategy for New York.[64]
Hochul spearheaded Cuomo's "Enough is Enough" campaign to combat sexual assault on college campuses beginning in 2015, hosting and attending more than 25 events.[65][66][67] In March 2016, Cuomo named her to the New York State Women's Suffrage 100th Anniversary Commemoration Commission.[68]
In 2018, Hochul supported legislation to provide driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants, which she had opposed as Erie County Clerk in 2007. While Hochul had said in 2007 that she would seek to have any such applicants arrested if the proposal was implemented, in 2018 she said circumstances had changed.[69][70]
On May 30, 2018, State Senate Democrats hoped to force a vote on an abortion rights bill known as theReproductive Health Act. Hochul was prepared to cast a tie-breaking vote on a hostile amendment; with one Republican senator away from Albany on military duty, the Senate Republican Conference and the Senate Democratic conference each had 31 members in the chamber. But Senate Republicans "abruptly shut down business and pulled all the bills for the day" when Hochul entered the Senate chamber. She called the GOP's actions "reprehensible" and "cowardly", adding, "The governor and I are offended by the actions taken here today in the Senate."[71]
Hochul presided over the Senate chamber on June 5, 2018, when Senate Republicans called for the override of Cuomo's veto of a bill relating to full-day kindergarten classes. The override passed by a large margin, and was the first veto override to occur during Cuomo's gubernatorial tenure.[72]
At a July 2018 rally with Planned Parenthood, Hochul called upon the Republican-led State Senate to reconvene in Albany to pass the Reproductive Health Act. She asserted that the potential confirmation of then-Supreme Court nomineeBrett Kavanaugh made this necessary.[73][74] The Act was reintroduced in January 2019 and passed that month with wide margins in the state House and Senate.
In a press briefing on August 10, 2021, Andrew Cuomo announced his resignation asgovernor, effective August 24. Cuomo was accused of multiple instances ofsexual misconduct.[75][76] Hochul said that New York attorney generalLetitia James's report on Cuomo documented "repulsive and unlawful behavior"[77] and praised his decision to resign.[78] Of her time as lieutenant governor and relationship with Cuomo, Hochul has said: "I think it's very clear that the governor and I have not been close."[79]
Hochul was sworn in as governor at 12:00 AMEastern Time (ET) on August 24 byNew York Chief JudgeJanet DiFiore in a private ceremony. A public ceremonial event was held later that morning at theState Capitol's Red Room.[80] Hochul is the state's first female governor.[80][81] She is also the first New York governor from outsideNew York City and itsimmediate suburbs since 1932 (whenFranklin Delano Roosevelt left office).[80] Hochul also became the first governor from north ofHyde Park sinceNathan L. Miller in 1922, in addition to being the first governor fromWestern New York sinceHorace White in 1910 and the first governor from Buffalo sinceGrover Cleveland in 1885.[82][83] On August 12, Hochul confirmed that she planned to run for a full term as governor in2022.[84] She was the first Democrat to announce a 2022 gubernatorial candidacy after Cuomo said he would resign.[85]
On February 17, 2022, the New York State Democratic Convention endorsed Hochul for governor. As of that month, she had raised $21 million in campaign funds.[86] Hochul won a full term in office, defeatingRepublican nomineeLee Zeldin in the closest New York gubernatorial election since1994 and the closest Democratic victory since1982.[87][88][89] Hochul's election marked the first time a woman was elected governor of New York.[90]
In August 2021,The Daily Beast andThe Buffalo News reported on a potentialconflict of interest between Hochul's role as governor and the high-level executive position held by her husband,William Hochul, atDelaware North, a Buffalo-based casino and hospitality company.[91] Delaware North has stated that William Hochul will be prohibited from working on any matter that involves state business, oversight, or regulation. A spokesman for Kathy Hochul has said that she had arecusal process as lieutenant governor and would maintain that process as governor.[92]
On August 26, 2021, Hochul appointed State SenatorBrian Benjamin to the position oflieutenant governor of New York.[93] Benjamin was sworn in on September 9, 2021.[94][95] Hochul also appointedKaren Persichilli Keogh to be secretary to the governor andKathryn Garcia to be director of state operations.[96] In October 2021 Houchul endorsedEric Adams in the2021 New York City mayoral election.[97]
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In November 2021, Hochul pushed to end remote work during theCOVID-19 pandemic and to return workers to offices.[98] That same month, Hochul offered her plans to redevelop Manhattan'sPennsylvania Station and the surrounding neighborhood. In her plans, she called for reducing density in the area.[99][100]
In December 2021, Hochul announced the reinstatement of an indoormask mandate amid the spread of theOmicron variant.[101]
In January 2022, she expanded an existing vaccine mandate for healthcare workers to include abooster shot requirement.[102] Also in January 2022, Hochul confirmed that New York's evictionmoratorium would expire on January 15. She announced that she would sign on to a letter with other governors to the federal government asking for more rent assistance, after New York received only $27.2 million of its nearly $1 billion request. Tenant advocates and other politicians have pushed her and state lawmakers to pass thegood cause eviction bill, which would give tenants the right to a lease renewal in most cases,cap rent increases, and require landlords to obtain a judge's order to evict tenants.[103]
In March 2022, Hochul reached an agreement with theBuffalo Bills to have taxpayers pay $850 million for the construction of anew stadium, as well as commit to maintain and repair the stadium.[104][105] It was set to be the largest taxpayer contribution ever for aNational Football League facility.[104] The agreement was released four days before the state budget was due to be passed, making it hard for lawmakers to scrutinize it.[104] Critics of the agreement characterized it ascorporate welfare.[104] Part of the funding for the stadium came from a payment from theSeneca Nation of New York, whose bank accounts had been recently frozen as part of a long-running dispute between the Seneca Nation and the State of New York over the Seneca Nation's refusal to pay certain fees related to casino gaming despite being ordered to do so by multiple judicial bodies.[106][107][108]
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On April 12, 2022, Brian Benjamin resigned as lieutenant governor after having been indicted earlier that day on federal charges ofbribery,conspiracy to commit wire fraud,wire fraud, and falsification of records.[109][110][111] The crimes of which Benjamin is accused were allegedly committed during his State Senate tenure.[112] He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.[113]
On May 3, 2022, Hochul selected U.S. RepresentativeAntonio Delgado to serve aslieutenant governor of New York.[114][115] Delgado was sworn in on May 25.[116]
On June 22, 2022, Hochul announced a $300 million plan to rebuild infrastructure in western New York communities with public and private funding.[117]
In 2022, a citizens' group called Uniting NYS and a group of state legislators sued Hochul in theNew York State Supreme Court inGeorge M. Borrello et al. v. Kathleen C. Hochul et al. to prevent implementation of a recently created state department of health policy enabling health practitioners to refer even asymptomatic patients suspected of having been exposed to a contagious illness for possible involuntary detention backed by law enforcement, with the option of holding detainees incommunicado.[118] The policy had been created without consulting the state legislature and did not require an emergency to be implemented. New York Supreme Court Justice Ronald Ploetz ruled against Hochul on the grounds of unconstitutionality under theseparation of powers doctrine of both the state and federal constitutions, as well as on the grounds that the policy was cruel and lackeddue process.[119] The New York state attorney general and Hochul are filing an appeal to retain the regulations, and the appeal is being challenged.[120]
In late 2022, Hochul delayed the signing of the Digital Fair Repair Act, a bill that received rare bipartisan support. The delay was allegedly due to major equipment manufacturers' lobbying efforts.[121] On December 28, 2022, Hochul signed the Digital Fair Repair Act (Senate bill 4104-A) into law, but not before adding an amendment that equipment manufacturers "may provide assemblies of parts rather than individual components".[122] Independent repair analysts such asLouis Rossmann have claimed these amendments undermine the bill's purpose, and allege codification into law of "unethical practices".[123]
Hochul was inaugurated on January 1, 2023.[124]
In 2023, Hochul nominatedHector LaSalle for the vacant position of chief judge of theNew York Court of Appeals. LaSalle's nomination drew opposition from a wide variety of Democratic groups and constituencies, including numerous unions and trade groups, criminal justice advocates, elected officeholders, and local party affiliates, who raised concerns about his track record on issues relating to abortion, criminal justice, corporate interests, and the environment. Many also suggested that he would do little to stem, or could even accelerate, the Court of Appeals's rightward drift under the previous chief judge,Janet DiFiore.[125] Despite an extensive lobbying campaign by Hochul's allies, including support fromU.S. House Minority LeaderHakeem Jeffries, the Senate Judiciary Committee rejected LaSalle's nomination by a 10–9 vote.[126] Hochul subsequently sued to demand a full floor vote. Democratic leadership then held a full Senate floor vote, which overwhelmingly rejected LaSalle's nomination.[127] Hochul proceeded to nominate associate judgeRowan D. Wilson as chief judge andCaitlin Halligan as the replacement associate judge for Wilson. TheNew York Senate confirmed the nominations on April 19, 2023.[128][129]
Hochul has employed consulting firmsDeloitte andBoston Consulting Group in preparing her State of the State address, an arrangement thatThe New York Times in April 2023 called "unusual, and possibly novel".[130]
In December 2023, Hochul vetoed legislation to bannon-compete agreements. Business interests lobbied her to veto it while labor supported it, arguing that non-compete agreements harm workers' interests.[131][132]
In February 2024, during theIsraeli invasion of Gaza, Hochul was the keynote speaker at aUnited Jewish Appeal-Federation of New York event. During her speech, she made remarks implying thatIsrael had a right to destroyGaza in response to the October 7, 2023,Hamas attack on Israel: "If Canada someday ever attacked Buffalo, I'm sorry, my friends, there would be no Canada the next day."[133][134][135] Following angry responses from a wide range of parties—including public officials and the Buffalo chapter ofJewish Voice for Peace—Hochul apologized for her "inappropriate analogy".[133][134]
In March 2024, Hochul instituted a policy in coordination withEric Adams to deploy 750 National Guard soldiers to the NYC subway system and empower them to conduct random bag checks on subway-goers. She also put forth legislation to allow judges to ban criminals from riding the subway.[136][137]
In May 2024, Hochul was criticized for saying at a business conference that minority children growing up in theBronx "don't even know what the word 'computer' is."[138] She later apologized, saying she misspoke and regretted her remark.[139]
In June 2024, Hochul indefinitely halted implementation of acongestion pricing plan in the most congested parts of Manhattan just weeks before it was to go into effect.[140] The plan was approved in 2019 and was expected to bring in $1 billion in revenue per year, making it the MTA's largest source of funding.[141] At the time of the cancellation, the MTA had already purchased $500 million for equipment needed for congestion pricing and earmarked $15 billion for projects it expected to fund with the revenue.[141] Hochul proposed raising the city'spayroll tax for business owners to cover the lost revenue from the cancellation of the congestion pricing,[142] which New York lawmakers declined to consider.[143] Her decision received widespread backlash, especially from state lawmakers,[144] business leaders,[145] and climate activists.[146]
Hochul defended her sudden decision to block the congestion pricing plan based in part on conversations with New Yorkers, particularly from a Manhattan diner, and claimed that the plan would "suck the vitality out of this city when we’re still fighting for our comeback". Lawmakers said her plan to raise payroll taxes to cover the lost revenue ran contrary to her reason for halting the program, and that the sudden tax hike would incapacitate the city's post-COVID-19 economic recovery. Democratic Senate Deputy LeaderMichael Gianaris condemned how the program was derailed "at the last possible moment" before giving lawmakers less than 48 hours to create an alternative funding plan, calling it "irresponsible" and "inconsistent with principles of good governance".[147] SenatorZellnor Myrie called it "incomprehensible" that Hochul claimed to care about cost of living while proposing a tax hike.[148] In November 2024, Hochul revived the congestion pricing plan with the charge for most passenger vehicles reduced from $15 to $9;[149] it was implemented on January 5, 2025.
In June 2024, Hochul proposed banning face masks on theNew York City Subway in response to groups of protesters she said were conducting antisemitic acts and confronting people while covering their faces. Organizations such as theNew York Civil Liberties Union criticized the proposal as a means to target protesters who hide their identities to avoid legal or professional repercussions, saying it would be selectively used to "arrest, doxx, surveil, and silence people of color and protesters the police disagree with".[150]
In July 2024, Hochul said she intends to run for reelection as governor in 2026.[151]
In September 2024, Hochul signedThe Retail Worker Safety Act.[152]
In December 2024, Hochul vetoed a bill sponsored by SenatorJoseph Addabbo Jr. that would speed up the licensing of three new casinos in Queens[153] and signed a law capping out-of-pocket costs forEpiPens at $100 yearly.[154]
In January 2025, Hochul announced a proposal to providefree tuition for specificassociate degree programs atState andCity University of New York schools.[155]
In February 2025, Hochul refused an extradition request from Louisiana for a New York doctor. The doctor was indicted in Louisiana after mailing abortion pills to a woman in Louisiana, who allegedly forced her pregnant minor daughter to take them.[156]
In 2025, Hochul directed CUNY to take down a job listing for a Palestinian studies teaching position atHunter College.[157]
Hochul did not endorse anyone in the2025 New York City Democratic mayoral primary. On September 14, 2025, she endorsed Democratic nomineeZohran Mamdani in the general election.[158]
During her 2011 congressional campaign, Hochul favored offering incentives to developalternative energy.[19]
In June 2011, Hochul opposed legislation that would cut funding for theCommodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) by 44%, on the grounds that the CFTC curbs speculation in oil and the resulting layoffs of CFTC personnel would "make it easier for Big Oil companies and speculators to take advantage of ... consumers".[159]
While running for Congress in 2011, Hochul supported raising taxes on those making more than $500,000 per year.[19] She acknowledged during her campaign that substantial cuts must be made in the federal budget, and said she would consider cuts in all entitlement programs. But she expressed opposition to the Republican plan that would turnMedicare into a voucher system, saying it "would end Medicare as we know it".[19][160] She said money could be saved in the Medicare program by eliminating waste and purchasing prescription drugs in bulk,[19] and that the creation of more jobs would alleviate Medicare andSocial Security budget shortfalls due to increased collections of payroll taxes.[19]
As a member of Congress, Hochul voted for abalanced budget amendment, which she called "a bipartisan solution".[161]
In July 2023, in response to a statewide workforce shortage, Governor Hochul waived exam application fees for all New York State civil service exams through the end of 2025 to make it easier to join the state workforce.[162][163][164]
Hochul expressed support for theAffordable Care Act passed by the111th Congress and said during her 2011 campaign that she would not vote to repeal it.[19] In response to a constituent's question during atown hall meeting in February 2012, she was booed for saying that the federal government was "not looking to the Constitution" under the Obama administration requirement that employers provide their workers with insurance coverage for birth control.[165][166] A spokesman later said she had misspoken, but did not clarify her answer.[166]
Hochul has said she is pro-choice[167] and called the overturning ofRoe v. Wade a "grave injustice".[168]
In 2023, Hochul advocated that the federal government expedite work permits to migrants to address a surge of immigration to New York, writing to PresidentJoe Biden, "For me, the answer to these two crises—a humanitarian crisis and our workforce crisis—is so crystal clear and common sense. Let them get the work authorizations; let them work; legally, let them work."[169]
On February 12, 2025, U.S. Attorney GeneralPam Bondi announced that theDepartment of Justice was suing Hochul and other New York officials, such asLetitia James, over their handling of immigration issues.[170]
On September 17, 2011,Robert J. McCarthy noted that Hochul and her election opponentJack Davis both opposedfree trade. "We saw what happened with NAFTA; the promises never materialized", Hochul said of theNorth American Free Trade Agreement. "If I have to stand up to my own party on this, I'm willing to do so."[171] She opposed new free trade agreements then under consideration, saying, "We don't need to look any further than Western New York to see that these policies do not work." She believes that free trade agreements such as NAFTA andCAFTA have suppressed U.S. wages and benefits and caused job loss in the United States.
Hochul is a vocal opponent oftariffs imposed during Donald Trump's second term, especially those directed at Canada.[172] She says the federal tariffs amount to a 21% tax on imported goods and cost families in the state $4,200 a year, while reducing Canadian tourism by 400,000 visitors compared to the previous year.[173] In April, New York under Hochul, along with 11 other Democratic states, sued the federal government to block the tariffs.[174] On June 16, 2025, Hochul, along with other Northeastern governors, convened with five Canadian premiers inBoston to discuss the impact of Trump's tariffs on their economies.[175] Hochul stressed the need for U.S. governors and Canadian premiers to work together and forge new alliances against Trump's tariffs, to ensure economic growth for both countries.[176]
Hochul is married toWilliam J. Hochul Jr., the formerUnited States Attorney for the Western District of New York,[177] who is also the senior vice president, general counsel, and secretary toDelaware North, a hospitality and gambling company. They have two children.[178][177] Hochul is Catholic.[179]
Hochul is a founder of Kathleen Mary House, a transitional home for women and children who are victims of domestic violence. She has served on the organization's board.[178][180] She also co-founded the Village Action Coalition, and, as of 2011, was a member of the board of trustees ofImmaculata Academy inHamburg, New York.[178]
In 2024, Hochul was diagnosed with abasal-cell carcinoma, a common form of skin cancer, on her nose.[181] She underwent surgery to remove it in the same year.[182]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Kathy Courtney Hochul | 47,519 | 42.58 | |
| Working Families | Kathy Courtney Hochul | 5,194 | 4.65 | |
| Total | Kathy Courtney Hochul | 52,713 | 47.24 | |
| Republican | Jane L. Corwin | 35,721 | 32.01 | |
| Conservative | Jane L. Corwin | 9,090 | 8.15 | |
| Independence | Jane L. Corwin | 2,376 | 2.13 | |
| Total | Jane L. Corwin | 47,187 | 42.28 | |
| Tea Party | Jack Davis | 10,029 | 8.99 | |
| Green | Ian L. Murphy | 1,177 | 1.05 | |
| Blank and void | 259 | 0.23 | ||
| Scattering | 232 | 0.21 | ||
| Total votes | 111,597 | 100.0 | ||
| Turnout | ||||
| Democraticgain fromRepublican | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Chris Collins | 137,250 | 43.2 | |
| Conservative | Chris Collins | 23,970 | 7.6 | |
| Total | Chris Collins | 161,220 | 50.8 | |
| Democratic | Kathy Hochul | 140,008 | 44.1 | |
| Working Families | Kathy Hochul | 16,211 | 5.1 | |
| Total | Kathy Hochul (incumbent) | 156,219 | 49.2 | |
| Total votes | 317,439 | 100.0 | ||
| Republicangain fromDemocratic | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Kathy Hochul | 329,089 | 60.20% | |
| Democratic | Tim Wu | 217,614 | 39.80% | |
| Total votes | 546,703 | 100.00% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Kathy Hochul (incumbent) | 733,591 | 53.3% | |
| Democratic | Jumaane Williams | 641,633 | 46.7% | |
| Total votes | 1,375,224 | 100% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Kathy Hochul (incumbent) | 575,067 | 67.6 | |
| Democratic | Jumaane Williams | 164,410 | 19.3 | |
| Democratic | Thomas Suozzi | 111,000 | 13.1 | |
| Total votes | 850,477 | 100 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic |
| 2,879,092 | 48.77% | −7.39% | |
| Working Families |
| 261,323 | 4.33% | +2.45% | |
| Total |
| 3,140,415 | 53.20% | −6.42% | |
| Republican |
| 2,449,394 | 41.49% | +9.89% | |
| Conservative |
| 313,187 | 5.31% | +1.15% | |
| Total |
| 2,762,581 | 46.80% | +10.59% | |
| Total votes | 5,788,802 | 100.0% | |||
| Turnout | 5,902,996 | 47.74% | |||
| Registered electors | 12,124,242 | ||||
| Democratichold | |||||
Kathleen Courtney-Hochul, the Democratic and Conservative parties candidate, was elected to fill an unexpired term on the Town Board with 57 percent of the vote.
Although an exact date has not been set, Governor Hochul said he will be sworn in sometime this month.
Media from Commons
Quotations from Wikiquote
Texts from Wikisource
Data from Wikidata| Civic offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | County Clerk ofErie County 2007–2011 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromNew York's 26th congressional district 2011–2013 | Succeeded by |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Democratic nominee forLieutenant Governor of New York 2014,2018 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Democratic nominee forGovernor of New York 2022 | Most recent |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Lieutenant Governor of New York 2015–2021 | Succeeded by Andrea Stewart-Cousins Acting |
| Preceded by | Governor of New York 2021–present | Incumbent |
| U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded byasVice President | Order of precedence of the United States Within New York | Succeeded by Mayor of city in which event is held |
| Succeeded by OtherwiseMike Johnson asSpeaker of the House | ||
| Preceded byasGovernor of Virginia | Order of precedence of the United States Outside New York | Succeeded byasGovernor of North Carolina |
Elected and appointed statewide political officials ofNew York | ||
|---|---|---|
| U.S. senators |  | |
| State government | ||
| Senate | ||
| Assembly |
| |
| Court of Appeals (appointed) | ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
