NY Gov Race: Cuomo Planning Run Against Paterson
New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo let it leak out this past weekend that he plans to announce his intention to run for governor in March. Neither Cuomo nor his spokesman, Richard Bamberger, spoke directly to the media about the AG's intentions, but unofficial sources have been easy to find in confirming his candidacy.
Beleaguered Governor David Paterson has not backed off from his intention to run for reelection, and he may be buoyed by his recent though slight rise in the polls. He has taken a tough line on spending in the past few weeks, and New Yorkers have embraced him for it, but it may not be enough to help him. He is still seen largely as an ineffective leader, and with the more popular Cuomo now entering the picture, the public's tolerance of him is likely to drop again. A bruising Democratic primary is inevitable at this point.
Cuomo's $16 million war chest is five times what Paterson has on hand. That amount also dwarfs Republican candidate Rick Lazio's current funds. Lazio has wasted no time taking the fight to Cuomo, however, and he has continued to criticize the AG for dancing around making a decision about his run. In a recent Rasmussen poll, Lazio leads Paterson 45 percent to 38. He has closed the gap with Cuomo, but the AG still leads the Republican candidate by a 19-point margin. But there is a long way to go, and that gap is sure to narrow over time. No politician remains that popular forever. Just ask former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer, and current Governor Paterson.