Kathy’s terms of endurement

Talking to our newly re-elected governor. Kathy Hochul.

During the campaign, it was many interviews, plus the debate.

“Was there nervousness? Sure. Anxiety drives me to work. But I won’t spend time being nervous. I prep my reactions carefully. With a team. I anticipated the questions. Lots of prep. Like what shots will come to me.

“I told my family to stop reading negative stories. Going into the studio for the debate I prepped myself. I knew nobody but me myself could make me nervous. I don’t worry. I choose not to.

“I have everyone’s same feelings but my mother taught me, ‘It’s all your own choice.’

“I repeated to myself, ‘No one can make you feel badly without your permission. No one can control my emotions.’

“My husband hugged me on this tough day and I heard my kids’ voices. I knew I wouldn’t flub anything. Time came. My family was in another room. The family asked, ‘You OK?’ I said yes. They said, ‘You sure?’ I said yes. I high-fived them. I kissed them all and went out.

“I cleared my head. I was ready for the debate. I was actually over the nervousness and anxiety. Worry had no effect on my outcome. I had anticipated every question. I’ve been in elections before.”

And how does she stay camera-ready while hopping from town to town?

“What I did was I brought lots of outfits to my little New York apartment. Clothes, shoes, I schlepped them all by myself.

“My clothes don’t crease because I tell them not to! If I have to clean a spot, I always have a little detergent with me.”

And where was she on election night?

“I had a suite upstairs in the Hilton in Midtown. I’d had my hair done. I knew it was finally over. I’d had my hair and makeup done every day of the campaign.

“Election night I was called. They said, ‘You ready?’ I kissed my family who were in another room in the suite and I went out to do the job. Minutes later the TV crews called. Asked, ‘You ready?’ I said, ‘Yes.’ ”

Yeah, OK. What did you do afterward?

“Two o’clock in the morning I went to sleep. But I did have a glass of wine. Maybe two. And I was in the office the next day. If I weren’t in politics I’d be bored.

“My reward is to have the whole family over for Christmas. I have all the bills to be signed for the legislature. Even on the holiday I’ll work on the budget. See, I actually do work as governor.”

Kathleen Mary Hochul, lawyer, lifelong New Yorker, is our 57th and first-ever female governor. And now she has a second term.