Irish Examiner view: New York governor Kathy Hochul heralds new era

The real importance of Hochul’s appointment is the international signal sent out, loud and clear, by her predecessor Andrew Cuom's resignation

Kathy Hochul: 'Looking back, I realised they had a profound impact on my decision to enter public service.' Picture: Michael M Santiago/Getty Images

Even if she didn’t have Irish roots, Kathy Hochul’s appointment as governor of New York is noteworthy — she is the first woman to hold the post.

She is also the first Irish-American to become governor, a distinction that rightly raises a cheer on this side of the Atlantic. It is heartening to hear her refer to her paternal grandparents who left Kerry a century ago and rose from hardship to “ultimately live the American dream”.

“Looking back, I realised they had a profound impact on my decision to enter public service,” she has said.

While we might celebrate her promotion on a national level, the real importance of Ms Hochul’s appointment is the international signal sent out, loud and clear, by her predecessor’s resignation. Andrew Cuomo faced a barrage of criticism and calls to resign from politicians as elevated as president Joe Biden after an inquiry found he had sexually harassed 11 women.

He stepped down, but continued to deny the allegations and later minimised his behaviour by putting it down to “generational and cultural perspectives” that he “didn’t fully appreciate”. “In my mind, I have never crossed the line with anyone… but I didn’t realise the extent to which the line has been redrawn,” he said.

Let us hope that his departure will help draw a very definite line under those attitudes and behaviour.