Greetings, this is the latest installment on a series covering the 2018 New York Governor’s Race. For those who are interested in reading the earlier installments, you can click the following links:
Introduction to New York Governor’s Election
Republican Straw Poll, Corruption in Cuomo Administration, and Other Recent News
Molinaro, Nixon, and Hawkins Enter the Race
Since our last installment, various political parties have moved forward on their decisions on which candidates they will support.
The Working Families Party has decided to endorse Cynthia Nixon for governor. Nixon is the main primary challenger to Governor Cuomo and is seeking to take his place on the ballot lines of the Democrats and the minor parties which tend to cross endorse the democratic candidate. The Working Families Party had endorsed Cuomo in 2010 and 2014. Though in 2014 he had only managed to narrowly gain their endorsement (rather than his 2014 primary challenger Zephier Teachout, who they had seriously considered nominating) through the help of other political figures and by making a series of promises to the Working Families Party (some of which he then failed to honor). This year, the Working Families Party decided that they would opt to support a more ideologically hardline figure, in the form of Cynthia Nixon, rather than the politically established figure of Andrew Cuomo. In an April meeting of the Working Families Party, 90% voted to endorse Nixon over Cuomo. Though in the process, two large union organizations pulled their support from the Working Families Party, due to their support for Cuomo.
The Working Families Party’s decision to endorse Cynthia Nixon over Andrew Cuomo could have significant implications on this race. This a sign for growing support for Nixon, which could give a greater change of gathering support to challenge Cuomo in the Democratic Primary. Though if Nixon fails to win the Democratic nomination, it is possible that she might continue to run for Governor on the Working Families Party ballot line.
In response, Governor Cuomo and his surrogates have been making public attacks against the Working Families Party and have been threating to retaliate against other groups that side with Nixon over him.
The Conservative Party has decided to endorse Marc Molinaro for governor. Marc Molinaro is one of the candidates seeking to become the Republican nominee for governor (which also includes John DeFransisco and Joseph Holland). Molinaro is the current front runner in the Republican race and is on track to likely become their nominee. If that is the case, then Molinaro may be able to put together a combined Republican-Conservative front to seek to be elected governor. Though in order to have any decent chance of competing, he will also need to be highly successful in working to attract the support of independent voters.
In other news, a new Sienna poll was recently done in regards to governor Cuomo and the coming governor’s election. Governor Cuomo’s approval ratings have dropped significantly. He is now down 49% approval and 44% disapproval statewide and has a 60% disapproval rating upstate. His poll numbers for the Democratic Primary have also shifted against his favor. Last month his numbers went from 66% to 19% against Cynthia Nixon. This month, it shifted to 58% to 27%. While Cuomo still maintains a significant lead in primary polling, this shift has taken a significant step in narrowing that lead. Furthermore, his statewide approval numbers among the lowest he’s faced as governor, and if they drop further could indicate a greater chance of him loosing reelection.
