New York has a Governor Cuomo – again.
However, this time it is Democrat Andrew Cuomo, son of former Governor Mario Cuomo, who defeated Republican Carl Paladino. Multiple media outlets reported that Cuomo won the race minutes after polls closed in New York at 9 p.m.
Cuomo, a native son of Queens who has served as the State Attorney General since 2008, was the frontrunner since he announced his candidacy for Governor, and he delivered a passionate speech calling for unity in the dysfunctional state.
“We’re not going to let you separate us. Yes we have challenges. Yes we have to clean up Albany. Yes we have to get the economy running. We have to rebuild trust with the people. We are going to do all that because we faced worse before,” Cuomo told a boisterous crowd of Democratic supporters assembled in Manhattan to hear the returns. “We are going to do it together, we are going to be united – that’s what made this state.”
During the campaign, Cuomo talked about his plan for enacting a spending cap and freezing state taxes as well as salary increases for state workers. He also believes that reducing state spending must be coupled with imposing a cap on rising property taxes.
In addition, these goals will have to be done during a very challenging fiscal environment in which the public does not trust many of the elected officials in Albany. Cuomo pledged to end that dysfunction and bring the state government back together.
“They are angry and they are paying for an economic recession they did not cause,” Cuomo said Tuesday night, November 2. “They want reform and they want government in Albany changed. And that’s what they will get.”
Since Paladino’s stunning primary win on September 16, the wealthy Buffalo businessperson has been a lightning rod for controversy and a fixture on the front page of the tabloids, including Daily News headlines that read “Crazy Carl Inc.” and “Carl: Gay Not OK.”
The Tea Party-backed candidate came within six percent of Cuomo, according to a poll released shortly after the primary, but the campaign gaffes quickly led to a decline. During his concession speech, Paladino left his future political prospects open.
“Our campaign to take back New York State does not end tonight,” Paladino said. “This is where our work begins…Make no mistake, you have not heard the last of Carl Paladino.”
