Photo: Getty Images
The administration for New York’s next governor is taking shape, and making history in the process.
As New York’s Lt. Gov. Kath Hochul prepares to take the helm of the state, her second in command is set to be state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins. Stewart-Cousins will be the first Black woman to take on the role as Hochul finds a permanent fixture.
The news of Stewart-Cousins’ appointment to the role, confirmed by a spokesperson to The Associated Press, comes after Gov. Andrew Cuomo resigned amid sexual misconduct allegations.
Cuomo’s resignation takes effect at the end of the month. New Yorkers will vote for governor and lieutenant governor in 2022.
In a statement on Tuesday (August 10), Stewart-Cousins called Hochul a “dedicated leader” who she’s ready to collaborate with on the coronavirus pandemic and economic recovery.
Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins is no stranger to breaking barriers. In 2012, she became the first woman and Black woman to assume the Senate Majority position within the New York State Assembly.
In her career, Stewart-Cousins has overseen the passage of major legislation in the state including voting rights, healthcare, immigration, and climate change.
Get the latest news 24/7 on The Black Information Network. Listen now on the iHeartRadio app or click HERE to tune in live.