ALBANY, N.Y. — Kathy Hochul, 62, is now governor of the state of New York.
The former lieutenant governor and a Democrat from Buffalo ascended to the chief executive role following the departure of Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
Cuomo resigned following multiple reports of harassment, which led to an investigation and report from the state attorney general that found he sexually harassed 11 women.
Hochul served as Cuomo's lieutenant governor since 2015. Prior to her work in Albany, she served in the U.S. Congress, as a county clerk, and as Hamburg Town Councilmember -- adding up to more than 25 years of experience in public office.
She tweeted after being sworn in just after midnight, "Honored to be officially sworn in as New York's 57th governor. Looking forward to the full swearing-in ceremony with my family later this morning, and addressing the people of New York later today."
Hochul is set to be "ceremonially" sworn in as governor at 10 a.m. Tuesday in a brief, private ceremony overseen by the state’s chief judge, Janet DiFiore.
She has also planned to meet with legislative leaders and make a public address at 3 p.m. Tuesday from the New York State Capitol.
2 On Your Side was the only station from Western New York to speak with Hochul after she was sworn in. When asked what she was thinking at the time, Hochul said, "I thought about all the women who came before me, including my mother who is not there but a lot of women throughout history. I felt they passed the torch to me."
Gov. Hochul has already hit the ground running as she announced the first appointments for her incoming administration on Monday.
Karen Persichilli Keogh was selected to be appointed as secretary to the governor and Elizabeth Fine to be appointed as counsel to the governor.
Keogh served for seven years as the New York State Director for Hillary Clinton when she was a senator and worked as Clinton's campaign manager for Clinton's 2006 Senate re-election campaign.
Fine is the executive vice-president and general counsel of Empire State Development (ESD), New York’s economic development agency. She is responsible for legal representation and guidance for ESD.
In addition to being the first woman to serve as Governor of New York State, Hochul is the first to come from Western New York in nearly 100 years. The last person from the region was Grover Cleveland.