Seeking Senate Majority, Cuomo Tries New Tactic: Stumping for Democrats
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Version 0 of 1. ALBANY — In 2014, while cruising to re-election, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s efforts to help his fellow Democrats were, to be polite, understated. The governor, known for often working closely with Republicans in Albany, did spend some money on behalf of Democratic candidates and endorsed a few just before the election. But he did little stumping for anyone other than himself, and all of the candidates he endorsed lost. But in recent days, Mr. Cuomo — perhaps mindful of criticism that he has not been particularly effusive or effective in his support of Democrats — has practically become a campaign carnival barker. On Monday, Mr. Cuomo endorsed two of his party’s State Senate candidates on Long Island. The governor also has three Democratic fund-raisers planned between now and Sunday, including a big-ticket event in Manhattan on Tuesday. The beneficiary of that appearance will be the New York Senate Democrats, who have long growled about not holding the majority despite having enormous advantages in voter registration statewide and, technically, having more members in the 63-seat chamber. (More on this later.) Indeed, in nearly six years as the state’s top Democrat, Mr. Cuomo has never headlined a fund-raiser for the campaign committee for the Senate Democrats. So it is that Senator Michael N. Gianaris of Queens, who serves as the Senate minority’s chief political strategist, is very pleased with the governor’s newfound willingness to step up. “We’re very appreciative of the governor’s support,” Mr. Gianaris said in an interview. “And look forward to an ongoing partnership with the unified Democratic Party and the Senate majority.” Mr. Cuomo would argue that he has always wanted Democrats in charge, but that the power dynamics in Albany made working with Republicans pragmatic. “If you’re not willing to talk to a Republican,” he said in July, “I have news for you: You’re not going to get a bill passed.” But the divided Legislature, with Democrats holding a large majority in the Assembly, has also served a political function for Mr. Cuomo, allowing him to shelter himself from liberal policies that do not jibe with his centrist approach. “This governor has fancied himself as a sort of fiscal hawk but willing to deal with other issues from a more moderate or liberal perspective,” said Blair Horner, the executive director of New York Public Interest Research Group, citing Mr. Cuomo’s conservative-minded moves, like the property tax cap, and his more progressive policies, like same-sex marriage. And having a divided Legislature, Mr. Horner noted, means always having the ability to negotiate one chamber against the other. “He’s able to push — sometimes successfully, sometimes not — the recalcitrant house to agree,” he said. Democrats like Mr. Gianaris feel strongly that a full majority in the Senate is within that party’s reach, especially if it can maximize anti-Trump sentiments in places like Nassau County. Though, as with many things in Albany, the situation is complicated. There are 32 Democrats in the Senate, but one Democrat — Simcha Felder of Brooklyn — sits and votes with Republicans, giving that party the leadership. Adding to the intrigue is the Independent Democratic Conference, a clutch of six breakaway members who will probably be needed to form any majority coalition. Candice Giove, a spokeswoman for the conference, said it would “remain a separate conference focused on fighting for the people of New York and continuing our record of success,” citing votes for a $15 minimum wage, paid family leave and the Safe Act, a set of tough gun-control measures that passed in 2013. “When the dust settles on the election,” Ms. Giove said, “we will work with legislators who share in our commitment to getting things done on issues impacting New Yorkers.” Mr. Cuomo has suggested that a full Democratic majority could help him pass stalled ethics reform, though appetite for such legislation has proved wan in recent years, despite several high-profile corruption scandals. And Mr. Cuomo’s efforts may not appease liberal groups such as the Working Families Party, which exacted promises from the governor in 2014 in exchange for an endorsement, only to watch him do what they considered meager work on behalf on Democratic candidates. Mr. Cuomo has proved to be a potent fund-raiser for his own campaigns; his re-election fund had $19 million at last report in July. And the Working Families Party state director, Bill Lipton, suggested that Mr. Cuomo’s donations from that fund on behalf of five Senate candidates — some $55,000 — were not enough in expensive and competitive races where millions will be spent. “The jury’s still out on whether Cuomo will spend even $1 million of his $19 million war chest on behalf of a more progressive New York,” Mr. Lipton said. On Long Island, Mr. Cuomo endorsed two Democratic candidates for the Senate on Monday: Adam Haber, who is running for an open seat in the Seventh District, and Todd Kaminsky, who won a special election in April in the Ninth District. That is the former seat of Dean G. Skelos, a Republican who served as majority leader before being arrested and convicted of federal corruption charges last year. In his remarks on Monday, Mr. Cuomo seemed aware that his endorsements were coming close to the end of a long campaign. “Election Day is around the corner, and the closer you get to Election Day, the clearer the choice becomes, right?” he said. “And I vouch for them personally.” Mr. Cuomo is also planning to endorse James F. Gaughran, who is trying to defeat the incumbent, Senator Carl L. Marcellino, a Republican in the Fifth District; and Ryan Cronin, who is running in the Sixth District against the incumbent, Senator Kemp Hannon, also a Republican. But with time running out before the Nov. 8 election, it is not yet clear when those endorsements will happen. Republican leaders, however, seemed unfazed by the sudden attention paid to Democrats by Mr. Cuomo, their frequent ally. “We’re happy that the governor is helping us shine a light on who these candidates really are, because a close examination of their records shows they each would be catastrophic for Long Island,” Scott Reif, a spokesman for the Senate Republicans, said. “Everyone knows that the Senate Republicans have saved Nassau County and Long Island, while the Senate Democrats tried to destroy it.” |