Andrew Cuomo's Republican leanings have been well documented here by Markos. So when Cuomo had to pick a running mate to fill the job of Lieutenant Governor it would seem like he would have trouble finding someone to the right of his positions in a blue state like New York. But the man who proudly has the support of the group Republicans for Cuomo and who has taken $87,000 from one of the Koch Brothers would not be denied. Meet Kathy Hochul, former member of Congress.
"I've heard from a lot of Republicans and they think I'm a different kind of Democrat and I will take that as a compliment"
Meanwhile, Democrats in New York are happy that there is a primary this year and that we have the option of voting for democrats who are a very different kind than Cuomo and Hochul. Zephyr Teachout and Timothy Wu. Wu is running against Hochul and should be popular around these parts for being the person who is credited with popularizing the idea of net neutrality.
Back to Hochul
"I don't think that many people know that I've always had the Conservative party endorsement"
I think it would be good for New York Democrats if a lot more of them knew that before the primary this year. Of course she was also endorsed by the National Rifle Association as well.
Remember, this is the person Andrew Cuomo chose as his running mate. More of Hochul in her own words:
"I did not support Obamacare 100%. Of course I voted many times to repeal it."
Hochul on the environment:
"I support the Keystone pipeline"
And while Cuomo's choice of Hochul was obviously another one of his attempts to veer more to the right in his quixotic quest to be president, he isn't
entirely tone deaf when it comes to his running mate.
Key state Democrats told The Post that Cuomo has ordered Hochul “kept under wraps,’’ in the words of one, to prevent her more conservative views from upending his re-election campaign among liberal New York City Democrats, especially Hispanics.
“No extended interviews, no press conferences, no TV or radio appearances, no nothing. It’s like she’s under lock and key,’’ said a senior elected Democrat.
Why might the Cuomo campaign be concerned about Hochul's appeal to Hispanics?
...her declaration that she would have illegal aliens who sought driver’s licenses arrested.
Remember, this is New York, not Arizona.
And yet, despite all of Cuomo's efforts, New Yorker's have a choice this September. They can vote for Teachout and they can vote for Timothy Wu.
The Democratic party is in serious trouble when in a blue state like New York, Kathy Hochul is the choice of the incumbent governor as his running mate. Meanwhile, we have the opportunity to elect the guy who is known as the "father of net neutrality." How about we use this internet to help spread the word?