New York Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) said Thursday that she will run for governor in 2022 after completing outgoing Gov. Andrew Cuomo's term.
Why it matters: Hochul, who will become governor in 12 days, is the first Democrat to jump into the 2022 race since Cuomo announced he would resign over the findings of a sexual harassment investigation.
- She will become the first female governor of New York once she's sworn in. New York Attorney General Letitia James, who oversaw the investigation that led to Cuomo's resignation, is also rumored to be considering a run.
- Several Republican candidates have announced their plans to run in 2022, including Westchester County executive Rob Astorino and U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin, according to Wall Street Journal.
What they're saying: "I’m the most prepared person to assume this responsibility, and I’m going to ask the voters for their faith in me again," Hochul said on NBC's "Today" Thursday morning.
- "I am confident that they'll see that I fight like hell every single day. It's how I'm hardwired and I'm looking forward to this challenge and I won't let New Yorkers down," she said.
- At a press conference Wednesday, Hochul said that no executive chamber member implicated in Cuomo's alleged efforts to retaliate against women who accused him of sexual harassment will remain in her administration.
- "At the end of my term, whenever it ends, no one will ever describe my administration as a toxic work environment," she pledged.
Go deeper: What to know about Kathy Hochul