Kathy Hochul sworn in as New York’s first female governor elected – NBC New York (47)

New York is swearing in its first female governor-elect on New Year’s Day, about 16 months after Kathy Hochul first took office.

Hochul becomes the first woman to be sworn in to a full four-year term as governor.

He defeated his Republican challenger, Rep. Lee Zeldin, in a close contest last month. The opening ceremony was held at 2:00 pm at the Empire State Convention Center in Albany.

The ceremony gave Hochul a chance to reintroduce himself to New Yorkers after he inherited office when Governor Andrew Cuomo resigned in disgrace last year.

Aides said the governor should give a personal speech focused more on values ​​than political plans. He will address the policy proposals in the coming days in his statewide speech, they said.

Still, Hochul’s narrow margin of victory is a sign that New Yorkers are divided and seeking solutions to high taxes, crime, a growing mental health crisis, a surge in immigrants, and a possible nurses’ strike on the horizon. .

The governor had invited a dozen heroes to the ceremony after last week’s blizzard in the Buffalo area that claimed more than 40 lives.

Rafael Pujols gives us a recap of election day in New York.