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Who would you vote for if these were the two Democratic candidates for New York governor?
- Andrew Cuomo
- Cynthia Nixon
A day after news broke that "Sex And the City" star Cynthia Nixon was talking with Democratic strategists about entering this year's primary race against Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New Castle, the two-term incumbent wasted no time denigrating Nixon as a B-rated celebrity backed by his longtime Democratic critic, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio.
In a conference call with news reporters on Wednesday, Cuomo laughed at his own answer to a question about whether de Blasio, a longtime friend of Nixon, is behind her candidacy.
“I think it was probably either the mayor of New York or (Russian President) Vladimir Putin,” Cuomo said according to multiple reports. “I am going to leave it to you, great investigative reporters to follow the facts and ferret out the truth.”
Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney, D-Cold Spring, the first openly gay member of Congress from New York, got into the act, releasing this statement about Nixon's possible candidacy:
"Press reports suggest that Cynthia Nixon, a member of the LGBTQ community, is considering entering the election against Governor Cuomo. Many of us in the community, who have been fighting for equality for decades, are recommending she reconsider," said Maloney, who represents parts of Northern Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess and Orange counties.
"For my part, I have worked on LGBT issues with Governor Cuomo for more than a decade, and he was instrumental in helping me become the first openly gay member of Congress from New York. I can say unequivocally that the LGBTQ community has not had a greater champion than Governor Cuomo. He has not only been on the right side of our issues, but has delivered results that have changed the trajectory of our nation's progress toward LGBTQ equality. Simply put, I owe my marriage to leaders like Andrew Cuomo," Maloney said.
"We must remember that Governor Cuomo took on the marriage equality issue when few politicians dared broach the subject. He was full-throated in his support and unabashed in his efforts, often to his political detriment. That’s called leadership," Maloney said.
"Many forget that when Governor Cuomo led the fight, New York's passage of marriage equality was against all odds. His success reverberated across the country and pressured other high-level elected officials to take a position. Support for marriage equality grew exponentially after our success in New York. Governor Cuomo changed the national dynamic, which ultimately led to the Supreme Court's historic decision," Maloney said.
"We also must keep focused on the larger goal -- electing strong, proven progressive Democrats – including a Democratic Congress -- to stop President Trump. Governor Cuomo is a tremendous ally in that effort. We should not have intramural contests that only aid Republicans," Maloney said. "We should all support Governor Cuomo."
Earlier Daily Voice coverage of Nixon's candidacy can be found by clicking here.
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