New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is facing an unexpected challenge in Tuesday's Democratic primary from a pair of university academics, Zephyr Teachout and Tim Wu. Cuomo's allies have been rallying support by emphasising his executive experience and painting his opponents as naive leftwing intellectuals.
At a rally in the Bronx, Bronx Democratic chairman Carl Heastie compared Cuomo to a successful quarterback, saying there was no reason to change horses midstream. Ruben Diaz Jr, the Bronx borough president, echoed the sentiment, calling anyone who wanted to switch horses 'out of their minds'. Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz dismissed Teachout and Wu as 'professor one and professor two'.
Cuomo himself attacked Wu, a Columbia University professor, for lacking experience, questioning whether anyone would want a heart surgeon with no background. Wu, however, rejected the criticism, pointing to his work in the Obama administration, his books, and his role at a Silicon Valley firm. He also noted that Cuomo's running mate Kathy Hochul had lost her House seat after just 18 months and now works as a bank lobbyist.
Teachout, a law professor and community organiser, defended her own experience, saying she had run non-profits and met payroll. She and Wu argue that Cuomo's focus on managerial competence highlights the very reasons they launched their idealistic challenge—anger over Cuomo working with Republicans and not being progressive enough.
Cuomo appears confident of victory but is concerned about Wu's challenge to Hochul in the separate lieutenant governor race. Hillary Clinton has recorded robocalls for Hochul, a move Teachout joked might be due to a promise not to run for president. Cuomo's message seems to be resonating with some voters, like supporter Walter Fuller, who compared Teachout and Wu to the Mets playing football—not professionals.
