New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has successfully fended off a left-flank challenge from actress Cynthia Nixon to win the Democratic Party gubernatorial primary on Thursday night.
The race was called by the New York Times less than an hour after polls closed, with Cuomo ahead of the former “Sex and the City” star by more than 30 percentage points.
Cuomo, a two-term centrist Democrat widely seen as eyeing a run for president in 2020, prevailed against the Emmy-winning actress in a victory that all but assures him a third term.
Cuomo will face off against Republican Marcus Molinaro in November’s general election but is already the heavy favorite to win in the strongly Democratic state.
Though Nixon lost easily, her campaign still had a strong effect on the race. Cuomo declared his support for a number of liberal causes in response to Nixon’s self-proclaimed Democratic Socialist platform, including the legalization of marijuana and the expansion of voting rights.
The governor, whose brother is CNN anchor Chris Cuomo, has long been a part of New York Democratic politics.
His father, Mario Cuomo, also led the state as governor for three terms between 1983 and 1994 and long flirted with a White House run. Despite the legacy, Andrew’s leadership has come under growing criticism in recent months, with particular ire saved for regular users of New York City’s crumbling subway system.
In one instance highlighted by the New York Times, the governor diverted critical funds meant for city’s subways to bail out a bankrupt ski resort in upstate New York.
There was speculation after Cuomo won that Nixon may choose to run as an independent in the general election. But in a statement to supporters, also released as a series of tweets Thursday night, Nixon appeared to rule that out. She instead celebrated the impact her campaign had on Cuomo’s political positions, and vowed to hold him to those positions.
This isn’t just a symbolic victory. This campaign forced the Governor to make concrete commitments that will change the lives of people across this state.
Last year, the Governor opposed recreational marijuana. We came out strongly in favor of legalizing it as a matter of racial justice, and the next day, the Governor declared that “the facts on marijuana have changed.”
On the same day that we released our climate justice plan in the Rockaways, the Governor reversed himself and halted the construction of a pipeline that would’ve devastated that community’s water and health. #TheCynthiaEffect
As progressives and New Yorkers, we have to hold the governor accountable for the commitments he’s made over the last 6 months. But these are real victories. Some people have called this #TheCynthiaEffect. I call it what happens when we hold our leaders accountable.
The Scene With Cynthia Nixon, Lisa Bloom at TheWrap's Power Women Breakfast NYC 2017 (Photos)
Attorney Lisa Bloom, TheWrap founder Sharon Waxman, Emmy-winning actress Cynthia Nixon, actress Judith Light, and producer Paula Wagner attend the Power Women Breakfast NYC on June 29, 2017.
TheWrap founder Sharon Waxman and Olympic fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad attend Power Women Breakfast NYC.
Shelley Zalis, CEO of The Female Quotient and Founder, Girls’ Lounge; TheWrap Editor-In-Chief Sharon Waxman and film and theater producer Paula Wagner co-hosted the 2017 edition of Power Women Breakfast in NYC.
Shelley Zalis, CEO, The Female Quotient and Founder, Girls’ Lounge moderated a discussion at Power Women Breakfast.
Moj Mahdara, CEO of Beautycon Media, speaks at Power Women Breakfast NYC
Ibtihaj Muhammad, best known as the first U.S. Olympic athlete to wear a hijab during the games, speaks at the Power Women Breakfast in New York.
Attendees at Power Women Breakfast NYC.
"Friends From College" star Annie Parisse and "Sex and the City" alum Cynthia Nixon attend the Power Women Breakfast in New York.
Jenna Leigh Green, star of "Wicked," attends the Power Women Breakfast in NYC.
Letitia James, Public Advocate for New York City, speaks at the Power Women Breakfast in NYC.
Actress Lois Robbins attends the Power Women Breakfast in NYC.
Sharon Waxman, Olympic fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad, attorney Lisa Bloom, and Oscar-Winning documentarian Laura Poitras pose on the red carpet of the Power Women Breakfast NYC.
"Orange Is the New Black" star Emma Myles attends the Power Women Breakfast in NYC.
Charity representatives Lisa Winjum and Sarah Haacke Byrd attend Power Women Breakfast benefiting Joyful Heart Foundation.
Rachel Bay Jones, a recent Tony winner for "Dear Evan Hansen," attends the Power Women Breakfast NYC.
Producer and Co-host of the Power Women Breakfast Paula Wagner stops for a photo on the step and repeat.
Muhammad at Power Women Breakfast NYC.
U.S. fencer and Olympian Ibtihaj Muhammad talks about being a Muslim woman in a post-Obama world.
Cynthia Nixon and others at Power Women Breakfast NYC.
Attendees at Power Women Breakfast NYC.
Attendees at Power Women Breakfast NYC.
Attendees at Power Women Breakfast NYC.
Attendees at Power Women Breakfast NYC.
Moj Mahdara, CEO of Beautycon Media, talks why she doesn't need to wear make-up to run a beauty business.
Beautycon Media CEO Moj Mahdara chats about why Generation Z is so important to brands.
Shelley Zalis chats one on one with Moj Mahdara.
Beautycon Media CEO Moj Mahdara at Power Women Breakfast NYC.
Attendees at Power Women Breakfast NYC.
Attendees at Power Women Breakfast NYC.
Attendees at Power Women Breakfast NYC.
Attendees at Power Women Breakfast NYC.
Attendees at Power Women Breakfast NYC.
Cynthia Nixon, currently starring on Broadway in "The Little Foxes," compared her play with the Trump family.
Cynthia Nixon revealed she would "of course" be interested in another "Sex and the City" movie.
Megan Mack
TheWrap founder ttSharon Waxman interviews Cynthia Nixon at the Power Women Breakfast NYC on Thursday.
Attendees at the Power Women Breakfast.
Women at the Power Women Breakfast NYC
A SAG-AFTRA board member attends Power Women Breakfast NYC.
Power Women Breakfast NYC.
Attendees at Power Women Breakfast NYC.
Attendees at Power Women Breakfast NYC.
Gail Becker reacts to Power Women Breakfast NYC.
Attorney Lisa Bloom said she receives death threats for standing up for women's rights.
Oscar-winning documentarian Laura Poitras talks about being on the NSA watch list.
Activist and attorney Lisa Bloom joins the game-changers panel at Power Women Breakfast NYC.
"Citizenfour" filmmaker Laura Poitras talks fear and being on the right side of history.
New York City Public Advocate Letitia James hinted at a future mayoral run.
Power Women Breakfast NYC.
Power Women Breakfast NYC.
Attorney Lisa Bloom and NYC Public Advocate Letitia James speak at Power Women Breakfast NYC on Thursday.
Lisa Bloom with daughter attorney Sarah Bloom at Power Women Breakfast NYC.
Power Women Breakfast NYC, game-changers panelists: Sharon Waxman, Lisa Bloom, Letitia James, and Laura Poitras.
Sarah Haacke Byrd attends as representative of Joyful Heart Foundation, beneficiary of TheWrap's Power Women Breakfast.
Charity auction at Power Women Breakfast NYC with designer Rachel Simone
Charity auction at Power Women Breakfast NYC.
Charity auction at Power Women Breakfast NYC.
Attendee at Power Women Breakfast NYC.
Charity auction at Power Women Breakfast NYC.
Attendees at Power Women Breakfast NYC.
Documentarian Aviva Kempner gets a Blushington touch-up at Power Women
Attendees at Power Women Breakfast NYC.
Attendees at Power Women Breakfast NYC.
Attendees at Power Women Breakfast NYC.
SCAD Film School Dean Andra Reeve-Rabb at Power Women Breakfast NYC.
Attendees at Power Women Breakfast NYC.
Sharon Waxman at Power Women Breakfast NYC.
Attendees at Power Women Breakfast NYC.
Judith Light at Power Women Breakfast NYC.
Attendees at Power Women Breakfast NYC.
Attendees at Power Women Breakfast NYC.
Lisa Bloom and Cynthia Nixon at Power Women Breakfast NYC.
The scene at Power Women Breakfast NYC.
Lisa Bloom and author and spiritual leader Marianne Williamson
Power Women Breakfast NYC.
Power Women Breakfast NYC.
Power Women Breakfast NYC.
Attendees at Power Women Breakfast NYC.
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Women leaders in New York’s entertainment, media and business communities converge at annual gathering
Attorney Lisa Bloom, TheWrap founder Sharon Waxman, Emmy-winning actress Cynthia Nixon, actress Judith Light, and producer Paula Wagner attend the Power Women Breakfast NYC on June 29, 2017.