On Sunday, Kathy Hochul made history as the first woman to be sworn into a full term as New York’s governor, marking a huge milestone that she pledged to use to address the state’s concerns about crime and affordability.
In her inaugural speech, Hochul acknowledged past trailblazing women from New York, such as Harriet Tubman and Hillary Clinton, before outlining her agenda for the next four years, focusing on the challenges she plans to tackle.
“I didn’t come here to make history,” Hochul remarked shortly after taking the oath at an Albany convention center. “I came here to make a difference.”
Hochul, a moderate Democrat from Buffalo, took office two months after securing a narrow victory in one of New York’s closest gubernatorial races in decades.
In a state known for its liberal leanings, she won against Republican challenger Representative Lee Zeldin by just six percentage points.
The campaign was heavily influenced by voter concerns over rising crime and living costs, issues that Zeldin used to challenge Hochul’s leadership.