ALBANY – Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul of Buffalo – soon to be New York's first female governor – Thursday vowed to run for reelection in 2022 while also indicating she will tackle the politically perilous issue of masks in the state's schools.
Asked on NBC's "Today" show whether she will run for reelection, Hochul said: "Yes, I will. I fully expect to. I prepared for this. I've led a life working at every level of government, from Congress to local government. I'm the most prepared person to assume this responsibility, and I'm going to ask the voters at some point for their faith in me again."
Hochul's comments come as no surprise; she has been fundraising aggressively and, through her team, sending signals that she would seek a full term as governor.
That campaign could be a tough one, though, as several prominent politicians from the heavily populated downstate area – such as Attorney General Letitia James – could challenge Hochul in a Democratic primary.
People are also reading…
Moreover, Hochul will face a number of significant challenges as soon as she takes office Aug. 24, when the resignation of scandal-plagued Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo takes effect.
Read the full story here.
Most notably, the Covid-19 pandemic has intensified thanks to the fast-spreading Delta variant – a situation that has reignited the national debate on mask-wearing, particularly in schools that are scheduled to reopen within weeks.
As she did Wednesday in an interview with The Buffalo News, Hochul indicated in her "Today" show interview with Savannah Guthrie that she believes masks will be necessary in schools this fall to protect students, faculty and staff.
"I believe that there will end up being mask mandates," she said. "I just don't have the authority at this moment."
Hochul said she planned to meet Thursday morning with state Health Commissioner Howard Zucker to discuss the current data on the Delta variant's spread. She also said she plans to reach out to school districts to gauge their thoughts and concerns about the issue – which, Hochul said, "hasn't happened in the past."
She indicated, though, that the public better get used to the idea of mask mandates in schools.
"I believe that this is going to have to be the way we go to make it a safe environment for everyone to feel we can get back to school," Hochul said. "And that is my number one priority. Children have to be back in school. We cannot have this continuation of this hybrid or work-from-home situation anymore if we can avoid it."
Proposed school mask mandates have led to vehement protests at school board meetings nationwide, so they could become a difficult political issue in New York, too, once Hochul becomes governor.
Of course, Hochul will face other tough issues, too, as the state tries to recover from the pandemic. And in her "Today" show appearance, she acknowledged that she will need the help of state residents as she tries to deal with those issues.
"Right now, I need their faith, I need their prayers and I need their support to make sure we get this right," Hochul said. "And I'm confident they'll see that I fight like hell every single day. It's how I'm hard-wired, and I'm looking forward to this challenge, and I won't let New Yorkers down."
