New York Governor Andrew Cuomo resigned on August 10 following allegations of sexual harassment. Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul will succeed him on August 24. The 62-year-old will become the first woman governor in the state's 233-year history. She is expected to serve in office as governor till Cuomo's current four-year term ends in December 2022.

Hochul has promised to “fight like hell, every single day” for every New Yorker and vowed to change the “toxic” work environment in the administration.

"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 said in a statement.

Hochul was nominated by Cuomo to be his lieutenant governor when he started campaigning for a second term in 2014. He won then and again in 2018.

Who is Kathy Hochul?

Born into a family of steelworkers in Buffalo, New York, Hochul earned a BA degree from Syracuse University. Four years later she earned her law degree from Catholic University.

After graduating from law school, she went to work on Capitol Hill as an aide to US Representative John LaFalce and later US Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan.

She was elected in 1994 to serve on the Hamburg Town Board in Erie County. In this position, she served as a liaison to the local economic development agency, according to her bio on the official state website.

She also did a brief stint as Congresswoman for New York’s 26th district in 2011, when she was elected in a special election.

Following the sensational report by New York Attorney General Letitia James, which concluded that Governor Cuomo sexually harassed 11 women, Hochul has been vocal in calling him out.

She called his behaviour “repulsive and unlawful” and said that resigning was “the right thing to do” under these circumstances.

Referencing the report, she had strong words for Cuomo’s aides who retaliated against the women speaking out about his harassment.

“Nobody named in that report doing anything unethical will remain in my administration,” said Hochul.

(Edited by : Aditi Gautam)