Kathy Hochul will become New York’s first female governor

“I agree with Governor Cuomo’s decision to step down. It is the right thing to do and in the best interest of New Yorkers,” Hochul tweeted Tuesday afternoon shortly after Cuomo’s announcement. “As someone who has served at all levels of government and is next in the line of succession, I am prepared to lead as New York State’s 57th Governor.”

Hochul, 62, has served as Cuomo’s lieutenant for nearly the last seven years. In the wake of the state attorney general’s report last week, she denounced Cuomo’s alleged behavior as “repulsive & unlawful,” adding, “I believe these brave women & admire their courage coming forward.”

In the report, New York Attorney General Letitia James concluded that Cuomo sexually harassed 11 women, engaging in “unwelcome and nonconsensual touching,” and created a “hostile” work environment for women. Cuomo has denied some of the report’s allegations while claiming that other aspects of his behavior detailed in the report were taken out of context.

As calls grew louder for Cuomo to resign, Hochul had been preparing herself to take over in Albany, a state official told CNN last week. She had cleared her schedule and took meetings with legislators and advocacy groups.

Cuomo on Tuesday praised Hochul as “smart and competent” and said the transition “must be seamless.”

“Given the circumstances, the best way I can help now is if I step aside and let government get back to governing,” he said. “We have a lot going on — I’m very worried about the Delta variant, and so should you be. But she can come up to speed quickly and my resignation will be effective in 14 days.”

Two women will hold state’s highest positions

With Hochul becoming the first female governor to lead the state, New York Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins will take on the active duties of lieutenant governor until Hochul names a replacement.

Stewart-Cousins, who first called for Cuomo’s resignation months ago, told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour on Tuesday that she was “surprised” by Cuomo’s resignation but added that “he did the right thing.”

“It was becoming a larger distraction and we do know the governor to be a fighter. And there was that expectation that he was going to continue to fight,” Stewart-Cousins told Amanpour, adding that the women who came forward “exercised an incredible amount of bravery.”

Asked about a potential impeachment process against Cuomo, Stewart-Cousins told CNN that the New York Senate had been working to ensure “we had all the appropriate resources that we need” for a trial if Cuomo had been impeached in the state Assembly.

“It’s up to the Assembly whether or not they want to continue down the path,” she said.

A longtime Democrat

Before Congress, Hochul spent roughly 18 years in local state politics, including 14 years as a Hamburg town councilmember followed by nearly four years as Erie County clerk.

She also worked at M&T Bank, as an attorney for a Washington, DC, law firm, and as legal counsel and aide to two former New York Democratic politicians — US Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan and US Rep. John Joseph LaFalce.

This story has been updated with additional reaction and background information.