ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Gov. Andrew Cuomo traveled the state to rally supporters while his liberal challenger Zephyr Teachout sought to promote her campaign to oust him as they made their final pitches before Tuesday’s Democratic primary.
Cuomo, who has largely avoided the campaign trail, held a rally with union members in New York City before flying to another rally outside Buffalo, the home of his running mate, former congresswoman Kathy Hochul.
Teachout, a Fordham University law professor, participated in several radio interviews ahead of a New York City rally Monday evening. She and her running mate, Columbia University law professor Tim Wu, also touted their campaign’s proposals to encourage technological innovation.
“We are really tapping into something very deep, and Andrew Cuomo is feeling it,” Teachout said. “… We know we’re going to see a lot of new voters.”
While polls show Teachout isn’t well known, her candidacy has galvanized liberal dissatisfaction with Cuomo, and her bare-bones campaign threatens to upend what many believed would be an easy re-election for Cuomo.
Teachout has said Cuomo hasn’t addressed corruption or done enough to combat income inequality. Cuomo stresses his work to pass gay marriage and gun control while playing up his and Hochul’s experience.
“It’s always been shocking to me … the concept of ‘maybe we can elect somebody to the highest levels in state government and they don’t have to have any experience or knowledge of the job,'” Cuomo said following his New York City rally, according to the Daily News. “Believe it or not, being governor, being lieutenant governor, you need to know what you’re doing.”
Drug law activist and comedian Randy Credico also will be on Tuesday’s Democratic ballot.
The primary winner faces Republican Rob Astorino, the Westchester County executive, this fall.
In the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor, Hochul faces Wu. Candidates for lieutenant governor run separately in the primary but run with their party’s gubernatorial nominee in the general election.
