By Bay Dotson
The office of the Governor of New York has often been referred to as the “second hardest job in America”, because of its influence over New York City and Wall Street, as well as its ability to pressure a sitting president. It is an office that Andrew M. Cuomo has held since 2011, and will most likely continue to hold through 2022. On November 6th, Cuomo will face off in the general election against Marc Molinaro, the Republican candidate for governor, along with two independent candidates, a Green Party candidate, and a Libertarian. Polls currently show Cuomo leading by an average of 22 points, relatively consistent with his 2011 win by a 2 to 1 margin, and his 2014 win by a smaller, but still significant, margin.
Cuomo, a Queens native, was born into New York Democratic politics. His father, Mario Cuomo, served as New York’s Secretary of State, Lieutenant Governor, and Governor. Mario Cuomo was known for his “progressive pragmatism,” and throughout his three-decade career in politics was reliably liberal, focusing on housing, abolishing the death penalty, the right to choose, and cutting debt. He was a steadfast opposer of former president Ronald Reagan, famously disputing Reagan’s claim that America was “a shining city on a hill.” Instead, he saw America as a “A Tale of Two Cities.”
Andrew Cuomo, after graduating from Fordham University and Albany Law School, worked as campaign manager for Mario’s 1982 campaign for governor. After his father’s victory, Cuomo worked in the Governor’s office for an annual salary of $1, gaining experience with the innermost workings of Albany. In 1986, he founded HELP (Housing Enterprise for the Less Privileged) which, along with his well-developed connections to the Democratic party, ensured him a job in Bill Clinton’s Department of Housing and Urban Development. In the HUD, Cuomo pushed for government-sponsored lenders to end discrimination against minorities, leading to the granting of loads to those who were financially unprepared for them. Although the move was well-applauded in progressive circles, some economists argue that Cuomo’s push contributed to the housing crisis that spurred the Great Recession.
After a failed bid in the 2002 Governor election, Cuomo went on to serve as New York State Attorney General from 2006 to 2010, gaining even more experience and close contact with the Governor’s office.
In 2011, Cuomo won the governorship by a landslide, wiping out Republican opposition in the western edge of the state. Throughout his tenure, Cuomo has pushed for gun control reform- a focus since his days in the Department of HUD. After the Sandy Hook shooting in 2012, he passed the NY SAFE Act, giving New York the strictest gun laws in the country. Cuomo has restructured the state tax laws by raising taxes on the wealthy, and passed same-sex marriage legislation five years before it became federal law (he described the opposition to this legislation as “anti-American”).
On the surface, Cuomo’s progressive accomplishments and credentials make him an ideal Democratic governor for many on the left. However, Cuomo has received serious criticism for corruption in his administration. Multiple of his advisors have been indicted for bribery, and his two-term attorney general, Eric Shneiderman, who ironically led state investigations into Harvey Weinstein, has just resigned after four claims of sexual misconduct. Cuomo’s political tactics have been criticized as muscular and aggressive. He has sought large amounts of money from corporations to finance campaigns. Cuomo has also had associations with the IDC (Independent Democratic Conference), a group of Democrats who vote and form coalitions with Republicans in the State Senate. Notable too is his embattled relationship with New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio. The two men often use each other to shift the blame for issues facing New York’s largest city, such as recent problems with the MTA and the housing crisis. In June 2017 Cuomo declared the MTA in a State of Emergency, but since little change has been made.
Despite his entrenched position in New York state politics, Cuomo recently faced a new and powerful wave of criticism from the left side of his party. Cynthia Nixon’s candidacy mobilized the radical left, and those who believe that Cuomo’s corruption has gone on too long. Although Nixon lacked the widespread support that Cuomo can rely on, her agenda forced Cuomo to respond to issues that he typically glosses over in favor of his usual talking points. Nixon’s position as a female candidate forced Cuomo to re-emphasize his positions on women’s rights, and other progressive issues such as the legalization of marijuana. More importantly, her candidacy opened up Cuomo to the same kind of criticism that any candidate for governor should face.
While Cuomo will remain the face of the Democratic party in New York for the foreseeable future, New Yorkers should be aware of his complicated history, as he will likely be in office for the next four years.