Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Kathy Hochul
How Kathy Hochul built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.
Kathy Hochul is an American politician and lawyer currently serving as the 57th Governor of New York since 2021. As a member of the Democratic Party, she holds the distinction of being the first female governor of New York. Furthermore, she is the first governor hailing from Upstate New York since 1922, marking a significant shift in the state's leadership.
January 3, 1994: Appointed to Hamburg Town Board
On January 3, 1994, Kathy Hochul was appointed to a vacant seat on the Hamburg Town Board.
November 1994: Elected to Hamburg Town Board
In November 1994, Kathy Hochul was elected to a full term on the Hamburg Town Board.
1998: Reelected to Hamburg Town Board
In 1998, Kathy Hochul was reelected to the Hamburg Town Board.
2002: Reelected to Hamburg Town Board
In 2002, Kathy Hochul was reelected to the Hamburg Town Board.
May 2003: Appointed Erie County Deputy Clerk
In May 2003, Kathy Hochul was appointed as Erie County Deputy Clerk.
2006: Reelected to Hamburg Town Board
In 2006, Kathy Hochul was reelected to the Hamburg Town Board.
January 2007: Swarts Appointed to Spitzer Administration
In January 2007, Erie County Clerk David Swarts was appointed to Governor Eliot Spitzer's administration.
April 10, 2007: Resigned from Hamburg Town Board
On April 10, 2007, Kathy Hochul resigned from the Hamburg Town Board.
April 2007: Appointed Erie County Clerk
In April 2007, Kathy Hochul was appointed Erie County Clerk, succeeding David Swarts.
2007: Opposed Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants
In 2007, Kathy Hochul opposed legislation to provide driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants.
2007: Appointed Erie County Clerk
In 2007, Kathy Hochul was appointed Erie County Clerk and was subsequently elected to a full term in the same year.
November 2010: Defeated Republican Clifton Bergfeld
In November 2010, Kathy Hochul defeated Republican Clifton Bergfeld with 80 percent of the vote.
2010: Opposed Paterson's License Plate Proposal
In 2010, Kathy Hochul opposed Governor David Paterson's proposal to raise revenue by requiring vehicle owners to buy new license plates, citing it as an example of her independence.
2010: Reelected Erie County Clerk
In 2010, Kathy Hochul was reelected as Erie County Clerk.
May 2011: Won Special Election for Congress
In May 2011, Kathy Hochul won a special election for New York's 26th congressional district.
May 24, 2011: Ran in Special Election
On May 24, 2011, Kathy Hochul ran in the special election to fill the seat in New York's 26th congressional district.
June 2011: Opposition to CFTC Funding Cuts
In June 2011, Kathy Hochul opposed legislation that would have cut funding for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), arguing that the CFTC helps curb oil speculation.
September 17, 2011: Opposition to Free Trade
On September 17, 2011, it was noted that Kathy Hochul and her election opponent Jack Davis shared an opposition to free trade agreements such as NAFTA.
November 19, 2011: Vote for Balanced Budget Amendment
On November 19, 2011, it was reported that Kathy Hochul voted for a balanced budget amendment, which she described as "a bipartisan solution".
2011: Endorsements and Support
In 2011, Kathy Hochul received endorsements from EMILY's List, The Democrat and Chronicle, and The Buffalo News, with EMILY's List providing significant financial support.
2011: Founding and Involvement in Charitable Organizations
In 2011, Kathy Hochul was a founder of Kathleen Mary House, a transitional home for women and children who are victims of domestic violence. She also co-founded the Village Action Coalition.
February 2012: Town Hall Meeting Booed for Remarks on Birth Control Coverage
In February 2012, Kathy Hochul was booed at a town hall meeting after making remarks about the Obama administration's requirement for employers to provide insurance coverage for birth control, leading to a clarification from her spokesman.
2012: Contempt of Congress Resolution
In 2012, Kathy Hochul joined Republicans in supporting a resolution finding Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress and highlighted her endorsement by the NRA.
2012: Lost Election to Chris Collins
In 2012, Kathy Hochul lost the election to Republican Chris Collins, despite an endorsement from the NRA Political Victory Fund.
2012: Defeated for Reelection
In 2012, Kathy Hochul was defeated for reelection due to changes in the district's boundaries.
2013: End of Congressional Term
In 2013, Kathy Hochul's service as a U.S. Representative came to an end.
May 22, 2014: Endorsed for Lieutenant Governor
On May 22, 2014, Kathy Hochul was formally endorsed for lieutenant governor by the delegates to the state Democratic convention.
2014: Selected as Lieutenant Governor Running Mate
In 2014, Andrew Cuomo selected Kathy Hochul as his running mate for the New York gubernatorial election.
January 1, 2015: Sworn in as Lieutenant Governor
On January 1, 2015, Kathy Hochul was sworn in as Lieutenant Governor of New York.
2015: Spearheaded "Enough is Enough" Campaign
In 2015, Kathy Hochul spearheaded Cuomo's "Enough is Enough" campaign to combat sexual assault on college campuses.
March 2016: Named to Women's Suffrage Commission
In March 2016, Kathy Hochul was named to the New York State Women's Suffrage 100th Anniversary Commemoration Commission.
June 5, 2018: Presided Over Veto Override
On June 5, 2018, Kathy Hochul presided over the Senate chamber during the override of Governor Cuomo's veto of a bill relating to full-day kindergarten classes.
July 2018: Called for Reconvening State Senate
In July 2018, Kathy Hochul called upon the Republican-led State Senate to reconvene to pass the Reproductive Health Act.
2018: Defeated Jumaane Williams
In 2018, Kathy Hochul defeated Jumaane Williams in the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor.
2018: Supported Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants
In 2018, Kathy Hochul supported legislation to provide driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants, reversing her stance from 2007.
2018: Reelected as Lieutenant Governor
In 2018, Kathy Hochul was reelected as Lieutenant Governor alongside Governor Andrew Cuomo.
January 2019: Reproductive Health Act Passed
In January 2019, the Reproductive Health Act, which Kathy Hochul had advocated for, was reintroduced and passed in the state House and Senate.
2019: Approval of Congestion Pricing Plan
In 2019, the congestion pricing plan was approved, setting the stage for its later halt by Hochul.
August 10, 2021: Cuomo Announced Resignation
On August 10, 2021, Andrew Cuomo announced his resignation as governor, effective August 24, due to accusations of sexual misconduct, with Kathy Hochul commenting on the "repulsive and unlawful behavior" documented in the Attorney General's report.
August 24, 2021: Became Governor of New York
On August 24, 2021, Kathy Hochul assumed office as the Governor of New York following Andrew Cuomo's resignation.
August 26, 2021: Appointed Brian Benjamin
On August 26, 2021, Kathy Hochul appointed State Senator Brian Benjamin as lieutenant governor of New York.
September 9, 2021: Benjamin Sworn In
On September 9, 2021, Brian Benjamin was sworn in as Lieutenant Governor of New York.
November 2021: Pushed to End Remote Work
In November 2021, Kathy Hochul pushed to end remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic and return workers to offices.
December 2021: Reinstatement of Indoor Mask Mandate
In December 2021, Kathy Hochul announced the reinstatement of an indoor mask mandate in New York State in response to the spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19.
2021: Became 57th Governor of New York
In 2021, Kathy Hochul became the 57th Governor of New York, making history as the state's first female governor.
January 2022: Vaccine Mandate Expansion and Eviction Moratorium Expiration
In January 2022, Kathy Hochul expanded the vaccine mandate for healthcare workers to include booster shots. Also in January 2022, she confirmed the expiration of New York's eviction moratorium on January 15 and requested additional federal rent assistance.
February 17, 2022: Endorsed for Governor
On February 17, 2022, Kathy Hochul was endorsed for governor by the New York State Democratic Convention.
March 2022: Agreement for New Buffalo Bills Stadium
In March 2022, Kathy Hochul reached an agreement to allocate $850 million in taxpayer funds for the construction of a new Buffalo Bills stadium, drawing criticism for corporate welfare and lack of scrutiny.
April 12, 2022: Brian Benjamin Resigns as Lieutenant Governor
On April 12, 2022, Brian Benjamin resigned from his position as Lieutenant Governor after being indicted on federal charges including bribery and wire fraud.
May 3, 2022: Antonio Delgado Selected as Lieutenant Governor
On May 3, 2022, Kathy Hochul selected U.S. Representative Antonio Delgado to serve as the new Lieutenant Governor of New York.
June 22, 2022: $300 Million Plan to Rebuild Infrastructure
On June 22, 2022, Governor Hochul announced a $300 million plan to rebuild infrastructure in western New York communities using both public and private funds.
December 28, 2022: Signing of the Digital Fair Repair Act
On December 28, 2022, Kathy Hochul signed the Digital Fair Repair Act into law, but with an amendment that independent repair analysts allege undermines the bill's purpose.
2022: Planned to run for full term
In 2022, Kathy Hochul confirmed that she planned to run for a full term as governor.
2022: Won Full Term as Governor
In 2022, Kathy Hochul won a full term as Governor of New York in a close election.
January 1, 2023: Hochul Inaugurated, Nominates Hector LaSalle
On January 1, 2023, Kathy Hochul was inaugurated. One of her first actions was to nominate Hector LaSalle for chief judge of the New York Court of Appeals, which faced significant opposition.
April 2023: Use of Consulting Firms for State of the State Address
In April 2023, it was noted that Kathy Hochul employed consulting firms Deloitte and Boston Consulting Group in preparing her State of the State address, an arrangement described as unusual.
April 19, 2023: Confirmation of Rowan D. Wilson and Caitlin Halligan
On April 19, 2023, the New York Senate confirmed Rowan D. Wilson as chief judge and Caitlin Halligan as the replacement associate judge for Wilson, after the rejection of Hochul's initial nominee.
July 2023: Waiver of Civil Service Exam Application Fees
In July 2023, Kathy Hochul waived exam application fees for all New York State civil service exams through the end of 2025 to address a statewide workforce shortage.
December 2023: Veto of Non-Compete Agreement Ban
In December 2023, Kathy Hochul vetoed legislation that would have banned non-compete agreements, siding with business interests over labor advocates.
2023: Advocacy for Expedited Work Permits for Migrants
In 2023, Kathy Hochul advocated for the federal government to expedite work permits for migrants to address both a humanitarian crisis and workforce shortages in New York.
March 2024: National Guard Deployment to NYC Subway System
In March 2024, Kathy Hochul, in coordination with Eric Adams, instituted a policy to deploy 750 National Guard soldiers to the NYC subway system and proposed legislation to ban criminals from riding the subway.
June 2024: Proposal to Ban Face Masks on NYC Subway
In June 2024, Kathy Hochul proposed banning face masks on the New York City Subway in response to antisemitic acts by protesters, drawing criticism from civil liberties organizations.
July 2024: Intention to Run for Reelection in 2026
In July 2024, Kathy Hochul announced her intention to run for reelection as governor in 2026.
November 2024: Revival of Congestion Pricing Plan with Toll Hikes
In November 2024, Kathy Hochul revived the congestion pricing plan with toll hikes to start at a reduced price of $9. It was implemented on January 5, 2025.
December 2024: Casino Licensing Veto and EpiPen Cost Cap
In December 2024, Kathy Hochul vetoed a bill to speed up casino licensing in Queens and signed a law capping out-of-pocket costs for EpiPens at $100 yearly.
January 5, 2025: Congestion Pricing Plan Takes Effect
On January 5, 2025, the congestion pricing plan in Manhattan, which had been halted earlier, took effect.
January 2025: Proposal for Free Tuition at SUNY and CUNY
In January 2025, Kathy Hochul announced a proposal to provide free tuition for specific associate degree programs at State and City University of New York schools.
February 2025: Refusal of Extradition Request in Abortion Pill Case
In February 2025, Kathy Hochul refused an extradition request from Louisiana for a New York doctor indicted for mailing abortion pills, citing concerns about reproductive rights.
