Mayoral frontrunner Andrew Cuomo was stonewalled from endorsements by distinguished Massive Apple LGBTQ teams — regardless of spearheading homosexual marriage in New York as governor.
Varied political golf equipment as a substitute determined to again his struggling challengers, naming Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and Metropolis Comptroller Brad Lander as their high picks in a ranked-choice Democratic Celebration main for mayor in June.
“Not the very best information Andrew Cuomo ever received,” political operative Hank Sheinkopf quipped concerning the snub.
The endorsements come on the heels of Cuomo racking up quite a few high-profile union endorsements as the previous governor makes an attempt a political comeback after resigning in 2019 amid sexual harassment allegations that he forcefully denied. Cuomo locked down one of many metropolis’s last highly effective unions in 1199SEIU late final week.
Gabriel Lewenstein, president of the Stonewall Democratic Membership of NYC, skewered a “egocentric” Cuomo and endorsed Adams within the June main.
“Andrew Cuomo is all about himself. We would like a mayor who cares about New Yorkers,” he railed as he praised her work as speaker.
“Adrienne is precisely what New York Metropolis wants proper now: a frontrunner who’s tenacious, good, and possesses a deep understanding of the challenges in our metropolis with daring plans to repair them.”
The nod follows Brooklyn’s LGBTQ political group, Lambda, which just lately introduced it had ranked Lander as its best choice within the crowded race, with state Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani and state Sen. Zellnor Myrie as subsequent picks below ranked-choice.
Jim Owles Liberal LGBT Membership additionally weighed in on the race, endorsing an unranked slate of candidates in Adams, Lander, state Sen. Jessica Ramos and Mamdani, the far-left, proud socialist who has persistently come up second in polls.
Allen Roskoff, the top of Jim Owles, credited Cuomo for pushing by way of homosexual marriage, however known as him “unsuitable to be mayor.
“The homosexual group is wise,” he stated. “We’re not going to assist Cuomo’s baggage. He’s not progressive by any stretch of the creativeness.”
Adams railed towards the Trump administration “waging struggle on the elemental rights and dignity of New Yorkers” and vowed to combat again to guard LGBTQ rights if elected.
Lander stated in a press release he was honored to get the endorsements and stated he’ll quickly launch his “LGBTQ+ platform to make sure New York Metropolis stays a beacon and protected haven.”
“Nobody is stunned that Andrew Cuomo, the brainchild behind the disgusting ‘Vote for the Cuomo, not the Homo’ slogan from his father’s mayoral marketing campaign, ” stated Lander marketing campaign spokesperson Dora Pekec — referring to anti-gay guerilla marketing campaign posters that appeared within the metropolis when Cuomo’s father Mario Cuomo unsuccessfully ran towards Ed Koch for mayor in 1977.
Andrew Cuomo has denied any involvement within the slogan or posters.
The ex-gov notably didn’t attend a mayoral discussion board with a number of the teams on March 27, a marketing campaign development that he’s taken some warmth for just lately. He has solely attended two boards through which he’s questioned by a moderator on stage with out some other candidates.
Cuomo’s camp downplayed the snubs, highlighting his observe file with the group.
“Andrew Cuomo appears to be like ahead to profitable the votes of the LGBTQ group citywide, simply as he has previously, as a result of New Yorkers know Andrew Cuomo doesn’t simply pay lip service to the LGBTQ group points, he delivers,” stated marketing campaign spokesperson Esther Jensen.
In 2011, the previous governor signed laws legalizing homosexual marriage in New York State.
Cuomo, as a part of his tightly managed marketing campaign, continues to lock up labor and political endorsements.
Friday’s union announcement from 1199 brings him the backing of the biggest well being employees’ union.
