A day before actress Cynthia Nixon is expected to claim the endorsement of the small but influential Working Families Party.
Two unions that are backing Cuomo but are also major funders of the party quit Friday in protest of the likely Nixon nomination.
The unions — the Communications Workers of America and Local 32BJ of the Service Employees International Union — are the latest labor groups to cut ties with the party that has become increasingly controlled by its activist base.
32BJ President Hector Figueroa and CWA Local 1 Vice President Dennis Trainor argued that Cuomo has delivered on a progressive agenda the party was created to help deliver. They cited passage of a $15 hourly minimum wage and creation of a statewide paid family leave program.
“The governor stands with organized labor and will follow their lead,” Fashouer said.
The two union leaders argued that endorsing Cuomo would be “the most effective way to put the interest of working families first.”
“The latest developments show that the current leadership of the WFP disagrees with that approach, and we have been unable to convince them otherwise,” they said in the joint statement.
Party state Director Bill Lipton said the unions left after being threatened by Cuomo during meetings this week.
Lipton in an email to supporters said that Cuomo, “faced with a fissure on the left flank of the Democratic Party...is striking back — not at his Democratic rival, Cynthia Nixon, but at those who have chosen to support her.”
Lipton asked for donations now that the party — and potentially community organizations linked to the party that the unions also help fund— is set to lose a major money source.
“Rather than go before the members of our State Committee this weekend and make an argument as to why he deserves our endorsement, Governor Cuomo has instead chosen to respond the only way he knows how: retaliating with bullying and threats,” he wrote.
Cuomo campaign spokeswoman Abbey Fashouer dismissed Lipton’s claims, saying the fight is between the party’s founding labor unions and its activist groups.
“Given the announcement today that the remaining unions will no longer be a part of the WFP, we stand in solidarity with them and will not be seeking the endorsement of the 3rd party line at their convention next month.”
She added that Cuomo will continue focusing on “maintaining Democratic unity and on taking back the House and the state Senate this year.”
Nixon hit Cuomo for trying to starve community groups tied to the WFP of funding.
“Andrew Cuomo putting his personal political ambitions over the needs of grassroots organizations fighting for racial and economic justice tells you everything you need to know about him,” Nixon spokeswoman Rebecca Katz said. “And it shows just how terrified he is of Cynthia Nixon.”
The relationship between Cuomo and the WFP has long been fraught. Many members don’t believe he’s progressive enough.
Four years ago, the party was ready to endorse Fordham Law Prof. Zephyr Teachout before Mayor de Blasio, now a Cuomo foe, helped the governor secure the nomination.
An NBC 4 New York/Marist poll this week showed Cuomo leading Nixon by a 68% to 21% margin among registered Democrats.
The lead narrows to 60% to 32% among “highly enthusiastic” Democratic primary voters.
If Nixon loses the primary to Cuomo, but stays on the WFP line, she could pull votes away from the two-time incumbent, meaning the Republican candidate would need less than 50% to win, political experts say.
Brian Harrod
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