Andrew Cuomo is ready to run for governor.
New York’s state attorney general is set to take on Gov. Paterson in the Democratic primary, a source close to Cuomo told the Daily News.
Cuomo spokesman Richard Bamberger declined comment, but a source close to Cuomo told The News, “He will make an announcement at the end of March. And what he will say is that he intends to run for governor. … He thinks there are a lot of problems in the state and he thinks he can help solve them.”
Poll after poll has shown Cuomo not only winning the general election with ease, but also trouncing Paterson in every primary match-up we’ve seen — including a recent Siena poll giving Cuomo a 38-point lead over Paterson in the primary and a 42-point lead on the current Republican front-runner, ex-Rep. Rick Lazio. The primary could still get pretty lively, but it’ll be a futile exercise for the embattled governor. He’d be much better off fading into retirement, but there are no signs that Paterson’s willing to concede the race without a fight.
RaceTracker Wiki: NY-Gov
Why in the world did Cuomo put this off so long?
God! This is a proof of how early election start these days when people get irritated that Cuomo didn’t announce his intentions in early-mid 2009. The fact is Ny has a late primary and he really doesn’t have to campaign for the primary to win. He’s been raising millions of dollars with everyone knowing hes going to run. He’ll campaign for the general like any Dem in NY does and will win BIG time…hopefully giving the House Dems some coattails w/ Schumer and Gillibrand on the top too helping
Cuomo would be a fool to pass up this opportunity.
I don’t think Paterson will bow out at this point. He’s obviously bitter about the way his tenure has turned out and by the almost unanimous calls for him to bow out in favor of Cuomo.
My only fear is that Paterson will try to sow the seeds of racial division in the primary. He’s already been abandoned by the White House and the vast majority of the Democratic establishment. His political career is effectively over. He’s got no reason to make Cuomo’s ascent to the governorship a coronation.
The governor’s father, former NY Sec. of State Basil Paterson, has already brought up Cuomo’s run against H. Carl McCall in the 2002 gubernatorial primary in warning Cuomo to stay out of the race. I just worry that that statement could be a harbinger of things to come.
maesn good things for NY-Sen-B and NY-13/20/23/24/25/29. David Patterson would have been a drag statewide. Now the NY GOP has a lot less to show up for in regards to the top of the ticket.
And I hope he’s a good governor. We need one, desperately!
Cuomo should be the senator now, but this is a good new.
Paterson should retires for reelection. He can run for other statewide office if he wish.
With Cuomo entering the Gov’s race Patterson should run for Senate and primary Gillabrand. He will get a ton of credit for leaving the Gov’s race to Cuomo and a lot of NY pols will feel they would have to support him for senate.
With her low poll numbers I am sure he could beat her.
Has anyone polled Patterson for senate?
The problem is, I don’t think Paterson has any intention of NOT running for the nod. So, despite Cuomo’s marvelous polling against Lazio, he’ll surely be a tad bloodied up when it comes time for the general.
Early predix…
Cuomo – 63%
Paterson – 37%
Cuomo – 57%
Lazio – 43%
I think now that Cuomo is getting in Lazio will probably jump over to the Senate race, leaving Cuomo with token opposition.
Having the race card played on you when you are not a racist is one of the worst things to have to endure in politics. People of all races have done it obviously.
First, wasn’t there some polling done a while back that showed a majority of African Americans disaproving of Paterson?
Secondly, what makes us so sure that Paterson will stoop so low. The only evidence I can see is that his dad has warned that it the primary would be racially divisive. Not saying that it won’t happen, but I have to say that the evidence that it will is rather scant at the moment and I think we should give the guy the benefit of the doubt unless there’s some other evidence that the campaign is going that route.
time to shit or get off the pot
Is there actually anything concrete to complaints about Cuomo/McCall in 2002 or is the perceived slight just that an AA was challenged at all?