Kathy Hochul for governor 2022

Kathy Hochul for governor

Kathy Hochul is the 57th Governor of New York. A lifelong New Yorker, she was born and raised in a blue-collar Irish Catholic family in Buffalo that instilled a deep passion for public service and activism. She continued that fighting spirit as a student organizer, as a young attorney and aide to Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan, and then as a member of her Town Board, Erie County Clerk, member of Congress, lieutenant governor, and now as governor.

After the Tea Party wave in 2011, Kathy entered a special election in the most Republican congressional district in the state, and against all odds, won as a proud Democrat. Her election, and later – her victory, was viewed as a national referendum on Paul Ryan’s agenda to bankrupt Social Security and Medicare. Despite risking her reelection, Kathy always fought to protect the Affordable Care Act, a woman’s right to choose, and the rights of the LGBTQ community.

In Congress, Kathy proudly received the endorsement of various women’s groups like EMILY’s List and was often targeted by conservative media for her defense of the contraception mandate under Obamacare. Kathy was also endorsed by the Human Rights Campaign and has been a lifelong champion for the LGBTQ community and the fight for equality.

Kathy maintained true to her labor roots and consistently voted to support the working men and women of America. She was a frequent critic of tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires and called for tax cuts for low and middle-income earners.

Fighting for Working Families

Twice elected statewide as Lt. Governor, Kathy fought for working families, and continues to be their champion as governor. She was a strong voice in the successful fight for a $15 minimum wage and Paid Family Leave. Every day, Kathy is working with the state legislature to prioritize making lives better for all New York families – because no one working full-time should live in poverty.

In the age of advanced technology, access to higher education has become increasingly more difficult. With the belief that education is a human right, Kathy fought hard to make SUNY and CUNY schools tuition-free for every middle-class family.

As Chair of the Regional Economic Development Councils, Kathy led efforts to lift up communities across this state and secured a record increase of workforce development funding, so all New Yorkers have an opportunity to find a good-paying job.

Champion for Women

Throughout Kathy’s life, she has committed to empowering women. She joined her mother and aunt in establishing the Kathleen Mary House in 2006, a transitional home for victims of domestic violence. Kathy has consistently placed issues that are important to women on the top of her agenda. Traveling the state, she has leveraged her position as the highest ranking female official in state government to encourage women to be an active voice for change. Kathy wants women to dream big and take risks – and she believes in equal pay for equal work. Kathy supports banning salary history and the state’s record high goal for certifying minority/women-owned business enterprises.

Kathy lead advocacy campaigns for the “Enough is Enough” sexual assault prevention program and worked to pass the strictest laws against sexual harassment in the nation. She prioritizes being a voice for all women as she visits all 62 counties every year.

Personal Life

Kathy has always believed in giving a voice to the voiceless. Kathy credits her upbringing with progressive parents for the values she holds today. Her grandparents were immigrants who fled poverty in Ireland, and her grandfather started his American journey as a migrant worker in the wheat fields of South Dakota. They later became domestics in Chicago and were lured to Buffalo by the promise of good-paying jobs at Bethlehem Steel. Kathy’s father, Jack, was also a steelworker and union organizer and began married life with her mother, Pat, in a tiny trailer in the shadow of the plant.

Kathy holds a bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University and a JD from Catholic University. She is married to her husband, Bill, and they have two children, Will and Katie.