Cuomo finally gave into calls for his resignation on Tuesday, Aug. 10, effective 14 days later, when Hochul takes over, opening the door for a new lieutenant governor to take over her position.
According to the Associated Press, Hochul has tapped her successor in State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D-Yonkers), who is set to take over the duties of lieutenant governor once Hochul becomes governor on Tuesday, Aug. 24.
New Yorkers will vote next year on a new governor and lieutenant governor. It is unclear whether Hochul plans to pursue a second term when she concludes this run in 2022.
Stewart-Cousins called Tuesday “a somber day for the state of New York, but one that demonstrates our ability to build a more accountable system of government.
“Governor Cuomo's resignation opens the door to a restorative future," Stewart-Cousins said in a prepared statement on Tuesday.
"We all owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to the courageous women who came forward and helped pave the way for safer and more inclusive workspaces."
Stewart-Cousins has already identified points of interest that are of concern for New Yorkers that she and Hochul will look to tackle in the approximate 16 months left of the current term that was vacated by the resigning Cuomo.
“Working with Governor Kathy Hochul, the first woman Governor of New York State, we will continue to address the COVID-19 pandemic, rebuild our economy and face our challenges standing together,” she said.
“Governor Hochul is a dedicated leader, and united, we will get the people’s work done.”
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