Yesterday marked the first day on the job for New York’s first female governor, Kathy Hochul. And she’s officially announced she’ll run for a full term in 2022, in what is likely to be a very crowded primary. 

Welcome Kathy to the (still-too-small) club of women governors, and help her get ready for the race by chipping in $5 to her now via our 2022 Governors slate.

If this is the first time you’re learning that New York has never sent a woman to Albany, hold on to your hat: 19 states have never had a female governor, including other big states like Florida. Ohio and Massachusetts, like New York, have never elected a female governor. And there have only been 45 female governors ever. 

But during the 2022 cycle we could make major progress on all of these fronts.

– Five of six Democratic incumbents are running, helping us preserve the record total number (nine) of women from both parties serving as governor. And Kathy—or one of the other prominent women rumored to be running—could become New York’s first elected female governor;

– Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried could become the first female governor of Florida, and Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley could become the first woman elected governor of Ohio;

– Iowa businesswoman Deidre DeJear and Rhode Island Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea could become the first women of color elected governor in those states;

– And we’re still waiting on two big names: Stacey Abrams, who would be the first female governor of Georgia, and Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healy, who would be the first woman elected governor of Massachusetts.

45 female governors in our country’s history—and just nine nationally right now—is shamefully low. We have a huge opportunity to grow those numbers in 2022. Let’s make sure these women are fully funded.Give $5 or more to every candidate on our 2022 Governors slate.