New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo may have stumbled while taking a jab at President Trump’s campaign slogan this week, but it’s not likely to hurt the Democrat in his upcoming September primary.
“Maybe if it was the general it would be more meaningful but the fact is the people the governor needs to vote for him in giant numbers are African-American,” said Chris Coffey, a Democratic strategist close to the Cuomo camp. “And many folks and people of color who have been disenfranchised would say, ‘Maybe that’s not wrong.’”
If anything, the gaffe could help Cuomo in both his primary battle with progressive Cynthia Nixon and further elevating his national profile ahead of a possible 2020 run.
Many speculate Cuomo is interested – along with about three other New York Democrats – in taking on Trump. His recent spats with the president could help his credibility among the Democratic base, and have diverted attention away from his fight with Nixon, who has attacked the two-term governor for corruption and an iron grip on the state party.
“We’re not going to make America great again — it was never that great,” Cuomo said. “We have not reached greatness. We will reach greatness when every American is fully engaged. We will reach greatness when discrimination and stereotyping against women — 51 percent of our population — is gone and every woman’s full potential is realized and unleashed.”
Cuomo’s office later walked back the governor’s statement, clarifying that Cuomo “believes America is great” but that “full greatness” will be realized when all men, women and children are treated equally.
But Cuomo’s attempt to knock Trump’s “make America great again” slogan, saying America “was never that great,” hasn’t rattled many Democrats and is unlikely to alienate any voters next month in his primary against Nixon.
Nixon took the opportunity to rib Cuomo again about his liberal credentials.
“I think this is just another example of Andrew Cuomo trying to figure out what a progressive sounds like and missing by a mile,” Nixon said. But she’s left it at that, steering her attention toward the voters key to winning the governorship. Wednesday night Nixon held a talk on black maternal health, and recently launched a joint ticket with Jumaane Williams, a candidate for lieutenant governor.
Like other liberal firebrands this cycle, Nixon has pushed Cuomo to the left on a number of issues, from marijuana legalization to a plastic bag ban. Though polls have strongly favored Cuomo, Nixon supporters remain optimistic that she can pull off an upset like other New York progressive candidates did in congressional seats in June.
“The Democratic Party is in a crisis across the country because people see them as too beholden to wealthy donors. Andrew Cuomo’s New York Democratic Party is Exhibit A,” said Bill Lipton of New York’s Working Families Party. “He’s raised tens of millions from donors like Donald Trump himself, the Koch brothers, and hedge fund billionaires, the vast majority of which are Republicans.”
“The contrast couldn’t be clearer with Cynthia Nixon whose campaign is energizing tens of thousands of volunteers across the state,” Lipton added.
Cuomo’s roughly $24 million war chest, however, has helped him saturate the airwaves and push a hard ground game, focusing on the same areas Nixon is trying to siphon off votes, among black voters.
And what he said about American not being great, could help him among progressives, not hurt.
“If the governor had done something to drive the Left really really crazy — maybe that would have more of an effect,” Coffey added. “This is not that.”
In the end, some Democratic strategists say any time Cuomo can be seen at odds with Trump is beneficial to him, especially if he decides to run in 2020.
