Kathy Hochul
Encyclopedia
Kathleen Courtney "Kathy" Hochul is the Democratic
U.S. Representative
for New York's 26th congressional district
, serving since June 1, 2011. She prevailed in the four-candidate special election
of May 24, 2011 to fill the seat left vacant by the resignation of Republican
Chris Lee, and is the first Democrat to represent the district in 40 years.
Hochul served as the County Clerk of Erie County, New York
from 2007 until taking her seat in Congress. Previously, she was a deputy county clerk, a member of the Hamburg town
board, a practicing attorney, and a legislative aide.
Hochul became politically active during her college years at Syracuse University
, leading a boycott of the student bookstore over high prices and an unsuccessful effort to name the university stadium after alumni running back Ernie Davis instead of the Carrier Corporation. She received her B.A.
degree from Syracuse in 1980 and her law degree
from the Columbus School of Law
at Catholic University
in Washington, D.C. in 1984.
After graduating from law school, Hochul began working for a high-powered Washington D.C. law firm, but found the work unsatisfying. She then worked on Capitol Hill as a legal counsel-legislative assistant to U.S. Representative John LaFalce and U.S. Senator Daniel Moynihan, and for the New York State Assembly
, before seeking elected office.
She became involved in local issues as a small business booster who tried to counteract the effect of Walmart stores. She was elected as the Democratic and Conservative Party candidate to the Hamburg
Town Board in November 1994. While on the town board, she led efforts to remove toll barriers on parts of the Thruway
system.
In May 2003, Erie County clerk David Swarts
appointed Hochul as his deputy clerk. When Swarts left the office in 2007, Governor Eliot Spitzer
appointed Hochul to fill the post. Though she had been appointed county clerk by Spitzer, she opposed Spitzer's proposal to allow illegal immigrants to apply for a drivers' license without showing a social security card. She said that if the proposal went into effect, she would call the sheriff's office to bring such applicants in for questioning.She was elected later in 2007 to fill the remainder of Swarts' term. She ran for reelection on four ballot lines
: Democratic
, Conservative
, Independence
and Working Families Party
, defeating Republican Clifton Bergfeld in November 2010 with 80 percent of the vote.
race of May 24, 2011 to fill the seat in New York's 26th congressional district
left vacant by the resignation of Republican Chris Lee. She was the Democratic Party
and Working Families Party
nominee. Hochul's residence in Hamburg, just outside the 26th district, became an issue during her campaign, though it did not legally disqualify her from seeking the seat. One month after her victory, she moved into the district, fulfilling a campaign promise.
The Republican and Conservative Party
candidate, state legislator Jane Corwin
, was at first strongly favored to win in the Republican-leaning district which had sent a Republican to Congress for the previous four decades. A late April poll had Corwin leading Hochul 36-31 percent, with independent-Tea Party candidate, Jack Davis
, trailing with 23 percent. An early May poll however, gave Hochul a narrow 35-31 lead, and shortly thereafter, the non-partisan Rothenberg Political Report called the race a "toss-up". Additional polling in the days immediately preceding the election had Hochul leading by four and six point margins. Hochul defeated Corwin 47 to 43 percent in the special election held on May 24, with Jack Davis receiving 9 percent, and Green Party candidate Ian Murphy receiving 1 percent of the vote.
The campaign featured a number of negative television ads, with nonpartisan FactCheck
accusing both sides of "taking liberties with the facts". In particular, FactCheck criticized the Democrats' ads for claiming that the Republican candidate would "essentially end Medicare", though the plan would leave Medicare intact for current beneficiaries. The organization also faulted the Republicans' ads portraying Hochul as a puppet of former U.S. House Speaker Pelosi, and for claiming that Hochul planned to cut Social Security and Medicare benefits.
Hochul was endorsed by EMILY's List, a political action committee that supports Democratic women candidates including those who are pro-choice. She was the fifth largest recipient of EMILY's List funds in 2011, receiving more than $27,000 in bundled donations from the organization. The Democrat and Chronicle
endorsed Hochul "for her tenacity and independence", while The Buffalo News endorsed her for her positions on preserving Medicare
and her record of streamlining government.
, she cited her opposition to Spitzer's drivers' license program for illegal immigrants and her opposition to Governor David Paterson
's proposal in 2010 to raise revenue by requiring all vehicle owners to buy new license plates, as examples of her independence.
Energy
During her congressional campaign, Hochul favored offering incentives to develop alternative energy.
In June 2011, Hochul opposed legislation that would cut funding for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission
(CFTC) by 44 percent, on the ground that the CFTC curbs speculation in oil and the resulting layoffs of CFTC personnel would "make it easier for Big Oil companies and speculators to take advantage of ... consumers".
Fiscal issues
While running for the U.S. House, Hochul supported raising taxes on those making more than $500,000 per year. She opposed the new free trade agreements that were then under consideration, saying, "We don't need to look any further than Western New York to see that these policies do not work." She believes that free trade agreements such as NAFTA and CAFTA have suppressed U.S. wages and benefits and caused job loss in the U.S.
Hochul called the summer 2011 debt ceiling issue "a distraction" to which the American people should not be subjected.
Hochul acknowledged during her campaign that substantial cuts must be made in the federal budget, and said she would consider cuts in all entitlement programs. However, she expressed opposition to the Republican plan that would re-form Medicare
into a voucher
system, saying it "would end Medicare as we know it". She said money could be saved in the Medicare program by eliminating waste and purchasing prescription drugs in bulk. She also said that the creation of more jobs would alleviate Medicare and Social Security budget shortfalls due to increased collections of payroll taxes.
Hochul expressed support for the 2010 health care reform legislation
passed by the 111th Congress and said during her campaign that she would not vote to repeal it.
Social issues
Hochul has said she is pro-choice
on abortion.
in Hamburg.
for the Western District of New York. They reside in Snyder, New York
, and are the parents of two children.
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
U.S. Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for New York's 26th congressional district
New York's 26th congressional district
The 26th Congressional District of New York is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives in Western New York. It includes all of Genesee, Livingston, and Wyoming counties, and parts of Erie, Monroe, Niagara, Orleans counties...
, serving since June 1, 2011. She prevailed in the four-candidate special election
New York's 26th congressional district special election, 2011
A 2011 special election in New York's 26th congressional district was held on May 24, 2011 to fill a seat in the U.S. Congress for New York's 26th congressional district. The vacancy was due to the February 2011 resignation of married Republican Chris Lee who resigned amid a scandal involving...
of May 24, 2011 to fill the seat left vacant by the resignation of Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Chris Lee, and is the first Democrat to represent the district in 40 years.
Hochul served as the County Clerk of Erie County, New York
Erie County, New York
Erie County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 919,040. The county seat is Buffalo. The county's name comes from Lake Erie, which in turn comes from the Erie tribe of American Indians who lived south and east of the lake before 1654.Erie...
from 2007 until taking her seat in Congress. Previously, she was a deputy county clerk, a member of the Hamburg town
Hamburg (town), New York
Hamburg is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 56,259.The Town of Hamburg is on the western border of the county and is south of Buffalo, New York. Hamburg is one of the "Southtowns" in Erie County...
board, a practicing attorney, and a legislative aide.
Early life, education, and pre-congressional career
Hochul was born Kathleen Courtney, the second oldest of the six children of John Courtney, then a college student and clerical worker and Pat Courtney, a homemaker. Hochul's family struggled financially during her early years and lived in a trailer near a steel plant at first. However, by the time Hochul was in college, her father was working for the information technology company which he later headed.Hochul became politically active during her college years at Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
, leading a boycott of the student bookstore over high prices and an unsuccessful effort to name the university stadium after alumni running back Ernie Davis instead of the Carrier Corporation. She received her B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree from Syracuse in 1980 and her law degree
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from the Columbus School of Law
Columbus School of Law
The Columbus School of Law, also known as CUA Law, is the law school of The Catholic University of America, in Washington, D.C..Over 900 Juris Doctor students attend CUA Law. Incoming classes are typically composed of two to three hundred students, including day and night programs. Around 3,500...
at Catholic University
The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America is a private university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States. It is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution of higher education founded by the U.S. Catholic bishops...
in Washington, D.C. in 1984.
After graduating from law school, Hochul began working for a high-powered Washington D.C. law firm, but found the work unsatisfying. She then worked on Capitol Hill as a legal counsel-legislative assistant to U.S. Representative John LaFalce and U.S. Senator Daniel Moynihan, and for the New York State Assembly
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
, before seeking elected office.
She became involved in local issues as a small business booster who tried to counteract the effect of Walmart stores. She was elected as the Democratic and Conservative Party candidate to the Hamburg
Hamburg (town), New York
Hamburg is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 56,259.The Town of Hamburg is on the western border of the county and is south of Buffalo, New York. Hamburg is one of the "Southtowns" in Erie County...
Town Board in November 1994. While on the town board, she led efforts to remove toll barriers on parts of the Thruway
New York State Thruway
The New York State Thruway is a system of limited-access highways located within the state of New York in the United States. The system, known officially as the Governor Thomas E. Dewey Thruway for former New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey, is operated by the New York State Thruway Authority and...
system.
In May 2003, Erie County clerk David Swarts
David Swarts
David Swarts was the Commissioner of the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, in the Cabinet of Gov. David Paterson. He was appointed to this position by former Gov. Eliot Spitzer on Dec. 21, 2006 and took office on Jan. 1, 2007, when the Spitzer Administration took office. He continued in...
appointed Hochul as his deputy clerk. When Swarts left the office in 2007, Governor Eliot Spitzer
Eliot Spitzer
Eliot Laurence Spitzer is an American lawyer, former Democratic Party politician, and political commentator. He was the co-host of In the Arena, a talk-show and punditry forum broadcast on CNN until CNN cancelled his show in July of 2011...
appointed Hochul to fill the post. Though she had been appointed county clerk by Spitzer, she opposed Spitzer's proposal to allow illegal immigrants to apply for a drivers' license without showing a social security card. She said that if the proposal went into effect, she would call the sheriff's office to bring such applicants in for questioning.She was elected later in 2007 to fill the remainder of Swarts' term. She ran for reelection on four ballot lines
Qualified New York Parties
In New York State, to qualify for automatic ballot access, a party must have received at least 50,000 votes in the previous gubernatorial election. They need not run their own candidate, they can nominate a different party's nominee, and if 50,000 voters vote for that candidate on their party...
: Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, Conservative
Conservative Party of New York
The Conservative Party of New York State is an American political party active in the state of New York. It is not part of any nationwide party, nor is it affiliated with the American Conservative Party, which it predates by over 40 years....
, Independence
Independence Party of New York
The Independence Party is an affiliate in the U.S. state of New York of the Independence Party of America. The party was founded in 1991 by Dr. Gordon Black, Tom Golisano, and Laureen Oliver from Rochester, New York, and acquired ballot status in 1994...
and Working Families Party
Working Families Party
The Working Families Party is a minor political party in the United States founded in New York in 1998. There are "sister" parties to the New York WFP in Connecticut, Massachusetts, South Carolina, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Oregon, but there is as yet no national WFP...
, defeating Republican Clifton Bergfeld in November 2010 with 80 percent of the vote.
2011 special election
Hochul ran in the four-way special electionNew York's 26th congressional district special election, 2011
A 2011 special election in New York's 26th congressional district was held on May 24, 2011 to fill a seat in the U.S. Congress for New York's 26th congressional district. The vacancy was due to the February 2011 resignation of married Republican Chris Lee who resigned amid a scandal involving...
race of May 24, 2011 to fill the seat in New York's 26th congressional district
New York's 26th congressional district
The 26th Congressional District of New York is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives in Western New York. It includes all of Genesee, Livingston, and Wyoming counties, and parts of Erie, Monroe, Niagara, Orleans counties...
left vacant by the resignation of Republican Chris Lee. She was the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
and Working Families Party
Working Families Party
The Working Families Party is a minor political party in the United States founded in New York in 1998. There are "sister" parties to the New York WFP in Connecticut, Massachusetts, South Carolina, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Oregon, but there is as yet no national WFP...
nominee. Hochul's residence in Hamburg, just outside the 26th district, became an issue during her campaign, though it did not legally disqualify her from seeking the seat. One month after her victory, she moved into the district, fulfilling a campaign promise.
The Republican and Conservative Party
Conservative Party of New York
The Conservative Party of New York State is an American political party active in the state of New York. It is not part of any nationwide party, nor is it affiliated with the American Conservative Party, which it predates by over 40 years....
candidate, state legislator Jane Corwin
Jane Corwin
Jane Lewis Corwin is an American politician and businesswoman who has served as a Republican Party member of the New York State Assembly since 2009. She represents the 142nd Assembly District which covers parts of Erie and Niagara counties...
, was at first strongly favored to win in the Republican-leaning district which had sent a Republican to Congress for the previous four decades. A late April poll had Corwin leading Hochul 36-31 percent, with independent-Tea Party candidate, Jack Davis
Jack Davis (industrialist)
John "Jack" Davis is an American industrialist and politician from Newstead, New York. He made his fourth bid for New York's 26th congressional district seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in the special election held on May 24, 2011. The election was held to fill the seat vacated by...
, trailing with 23 percent. An early May poll however, gave Hochul a narrow 35-31 lead, and shortly thereafter, the non-partisan Rothenberg Political Report called the race a "toss-up". Additional polling in the days immediately preceding the election had Hochul leading by four and six point margins. Hochul defeated Corwin 47 to 43 percent in the special election held on May 24, with Jack Davis receiving 9 percent, and Green Party candidate Ian Murphy receiving 1 percent of the vote.
The campaign featured a number of negative television ads, with nonpartisan FactCheck
FactCheck
FactCheck.org is a non-partisan, nonprofit website that describes itself as a consumer advocate' for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics." It is a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the Annenberg School for Communication at the University...
accusing both sides of "taking liberties with the facts". In particular, FactCheck criticized the Democrats' ads for claiming that the Republican candidate would "essentially end Medicare", though the plan would leave Medicare intact for current beneficiaries. The organization also faulted the Republicans' ads portraying Hochul as a puppet of former U.S. House Speaker Pelosi, and for claiming that Hochul planned to cut Social Security and Medicare benefits.
Hochul was endorsed by EMILY's List, a political action committee that supports Democratic women candidates including those who are pro-choice. She was the fifth largest recipient of EMILY's List funds in 2011, receiving more than $27,000 in bundled donations from the organization. The Democrat and Chronicle
Democrat and Chronicle
The Democrat and Chronicle is the most widely circulated daily newspaper in the greater Rochester, New York area. Located at 55 Exchange Boulevard in downtown Rochester, the Democrat and Chronicle operates under the ownership of Gannett. The paper's production facility is located in the town of...
endorsed Hochul "for her tenacity and independence", while The Buffalo News endorsed her for her positions on preserving Medicare
Medicare
Medicare may refer to any of several publicly funded health insurance programs:*Medicare *Medicare *Medicare - See also :*Medicaid*Medicare Australia*Medicare Resources - China*Medicare Rights Center - United States...
and her record of streamlining government.
Tenure
While campaigning for Congress, Hochul defined herself as an "independent Democrat". In an interview with the Lockport Union-Sun & JournalLockport Union-Sun & Journal
The Lockport Union-Sun & Journal is a seven-day evening daily newspaper published in Lockport, New York, USA, and covering several towns and villages of Niagara County. It is owned by Greater Niagara Newspapers, a division of Community Newspaper Holdings Inc.Like most community papers, the...
, she cited her opposition to Spitzer's drivers' license program for illegal immigrants and her opposition to Governor David Paterson
David Paterson
David Alexander Paterson is an American politician who served as the 55th Governor of New York, from 2008 to 2010. During his tenure he was the first governor of New York of African American heritage and also the second legally blind governor of any U.S. state after Bob C. Riley, who was Acting...
's proposal in 2010 to raise revenue by requiring all vehicle owners to buy new license plates, as examples of her independence.
Energy
During her congressional campaign, Hochul favored offering incentives to develop alternative energy.
In June 2011, Hochul opposed legislation that would cut funding for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission
Commodity Futures Trading Commission
The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission is an independent agency of the United States government that regulates futures and option markets....
(CFTC) by 44 percent, on the ground that the CFTC curbs speculation in oil and the resulting layoffs of CFTC personnel would "make it easier for Big Oil companies and speculators to take advantage of ... consumers".
Fiscal issues
While running for the U.S. House, Hochul supported raising taxes on those making more than $500,000 per year. She opposed the new free trade agreements that were then under consideration, saying, "We don't need to look any further than Western New York to see that these policies do not work." She believes that free trade agreements such as NAFTA and CAFTA have suppressed U.S. wages and benefits and caused job loss in the U.S.
Hochul called the summer 2011 debt ceiling issue "a distraction" to which the American people should not be subjected.
Hochul acknowledged during her campaign that substantial cuts must be made in the federal budget, and said she would consider cuts in all entitlement programs. However, she expressed opposition to the Republican plan that would re-form Medicare
Medicare
Medicare may refer to any of several publicly funded health insurance programs:*Medicare *Medicare *Medicare - See also :*Medicaid*Medicare Australia*Medicare Resources - China*Medicare Rights Center - United States...
into a voucher
Voucher
A voucher is a bond which is worth a certain monetary value and which may be spent only for specific reasons or on specific goods. Examples include housing, travel, and food vouchers...
system, saying it "would end Medicare as we know it". She said money could be saved in the Medicare program by eliminating waste and purchasing prescription drugs in bulk. She also said that the creation of more jobs would alleviate Medicare and Social Security budget shortfalls due to increased collections of payroll taxes.
Hochul expressed support for the 2010 health care reform legislation
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is a United States federal statute signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010. The law is the principal health care reform legislation of the 111th United States Congress...
passed by the 111th Congress and said during her campaign that she would not vote to repeal it.
Social issues
Hochul has said she is pro-choice
Pro-choice
Support for the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-choice movement, a sociopolitical movement supporting the ethical view that a woman should have the legal right to elective abortion, meaning the right to terminate her pregnancy....
on abortion.
Committee assignments
- Committee on Armed ServicesUnited States House Committee on Armed Servicesthumb|United States House Committee on Armed Services emblemThe U.S. House Committee on Armed Services, commonly known as the House Armed Services Committee, is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives...
- Committee on Homeland SecurityUnited States House Committee on Homeland SecurityThe U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives, the lower house of Congress. Its responsibilities include U.S...
- Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence
- Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications
Community activities
Hochul is a founder and a member of the Board of Directors of Kathleen Mary House, a transitional home for women and children who are victims of domestic violence. She was also co-founder of the Village Action Coalition, and a member of the Board of Trustees at Immaculata AcademyImmaculata Academy (Hamburg, New York)
Immaculata Academy is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Hamburg, New York.-Background:Immaculata Academy was established in 1928 by the Franciscan Sisters of St. Joseph....
in Hamburg.
Personal life
She is married to William Hochul, who serves as the United States AttorneyUnited States Attorney
United States Attorneys represent the United States federal government in United States district court and United States court of appeals. There are 93 U.S. Attorneys stationed throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands...
for the Western District of New York. They reside in Snyder, New York
Snyder, New York
Snyder is a hamlet within the town of Amherst in Erie County, New York, United States that is part of the Buffalo – Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The hamlet was established in 1837...
, and are the parents of two children.
Electoral history
External links
- Congresswoman Kathy Hochul official U.S. House site
- Kathy Hochul for Congress official campaign site