♒The liberal activist who challenged Gov. Andrew Cuomo for the Working💟 Families Party nomination is now threatening to run a Democratic primary against him.
“Debate is empowering. I would really like to have a discussion. This is an amazing state. … We can do so much better,” Fordham law professor Zephyr Teachout said on WNYC radio Monday.
“This is not a time for transac💟t𒈔ional politics. This is a moment for some kind of fundamental transformation,” she said.
Teachout’s comments show that Cuomo’s winning the WFP line on S𝔍aturday after weeks of acrimonious debate has not stopped criticism from the incumbent’s left flank.
Teachout claims that Cuomo has dropped the ball on campaign finance reform a𒅌nd tackling Albany corruption.
”The evidence i♎s in. He’s broken that trust,”𝓰 she said.
Teachout would have to round up 15,000 valid signatures on nominating petitions by Ju🌜ly 9 to get on the ba♍llot.
She said she’ll make a decision within a week.
Cuomo claims he couldn’t pass a sweeping election reform — including public fina🃏ncing of campaigns and curbing contribution limits — because of opposition from Republicans in the state Senate.
But he promised the WFP to help Democrats win back the state Sena🦩te this fall to help pass sweeping liberal legislation next year — including campaign finance reform, increasing the minimum wage and enacting the Dream Act to aid young undocumented immigrants.
The governor also defended his record, noting he’s approved progressive laws that include legaliz𝄹ing gay marriage and enacting stricter gun control.
Teachout boasted that she kept Cuomo’s vote at the WFP convention to under 60 percent despite his instilling “fear” into the labor un🦂ion wing꧙ of the leftist party — whose rank-and-file members work for the government or are dependent on Albany largesse.
“We were running on a combination of love and anger and we’re hoping that can move us forward,” said Teachout, who appeals to Occupౠy Wall Street activists and other grassroots lefties.
Cuomo is appearing Monday at a🧸n event in Manhattan’s East Village with f൲ederal Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shawn Donovan and Mayor Bill de Blasio.
Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino is Cuomo’s Republican challenger. Astorino is slamming Cuomo from the right, claiming he’s now capitive to the tax-happy WFP.