Cuomo Picks Rochester Mayor Robert Duffy for Lt. Governor

The New York State Democratic Convention began in earnest this morning -- and the only news of import being the presumptive gubernatorial candidate, Andrew Cuomo, tapping Rochester Mayor Robert Duffy as his choice for Lt. Goverrnor.

Reporter extraordinaire, Liz Benjamin, on her superb State of Politics Blog, reports:

AG Andrew Cuomo will announce today that he has selected Rochester Mayor Robert Duffy as his preferred LG running mate, according to a press release from the Cuomo campaign.

The announcement will come at 11 a.m. at the Sheraton in Manhattan.

Duffy is a former police chief and, according to sources I spoke with in the Rochester area, is "squeaky clean." [...]

There are other candidates vying for the Lt. Governor slot (why?) with the most intriguing being Bill Samuels, the son of the late Howard Samuels, who was a fixture on the New York political and governmental scene in the 1970s. Bill Samuels has vowed to stay in the Lt. Governor race and petition is way onto the ballot. More on Samuels can be found here: samuelsforlieutenantgovernor.com

The race for Attorney General looks to be a 5-way primary among: Nassau County DA Kathleen Rice: www.kathleenrice.com; former prosecutor and Insurance Commissioner Eric Dinallo: www.ericdinallo.com; former prosecutor Sean Coffey: www.coffey2010.com; State Senator Eric Schneiderman: www.ericschneiderman.com; and Assemblyman Richard Brodsky: www.Richardbrodsky.com.

Andrew Cuomo reportedly favors Kathleen Rice, but it's looking like the convention will not play favorites, which paves the way for a five-way primary in September.

The race for State Comptroller will be uncontested, with the unelected incumbent, Tom DiNapoli, being unopposed (but he will face a spirited GOP opponent, Harry Wilson, in the November general election).

Also slated to be nominated without substantive opposition will be the two US Senate incumbents, Chuck Schumer, and the unelected incumbent Kirsten Gillibrand (for the remaining 2-year term left over by Hillary Clinton's departure to become Secretary of State). Both Schumer and Gillibrand have Democratic opponents, but the convention won't give any of their opposition ballot lines for a primary.

For the best continuous reporting on the convention you can see frequent updates from Liz Benjamin on her blog at: capitaltonight.com/stateofpolitics/. Also follow the Albany Times Union's Jimmy Vielkind at: blog.timesunion.com/capitol/; and the NY Daily News' Celeste Katz at: nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/

You can also follow twitter feeds at #NYDemCon.

 

Follow David A. Singer on Twitter: www.twitter.com/davidasinger

Comments

[cleanupnynow]

10:24 AM on 05/28/2010

Duffy is a superb pick. Duffy is a no-nonsense type of guy. The Cuomo/Duffy team will take back Albany.

It is great that New Yorkers can finally turn the page on the David Paterson mis-administration by electing Cuomo and getting rid of David Paterson.

Paterson proved long ago that he could not govern. “The Democratic Conference: Organizational and Operational Structure Report” is an eyewitness account of Paterson’s DYSFUNCTIONAL governing nature.

http://www.politico.com/static/PPM110_demreportfinal.html

His office was criticized for PATRONAGE, LACK OF LEADERSHIP, INDECISIVENESS and INFIGHTING, set against a backdrop of general CHAOS – in other words the office was a ZOO. Those interviewed in the report indicated that its chief of staff the disorganized and inept Michael Jones-Bey had no management skills, and would get DRUNK with staff, often coming in the office with a HANGOVER, and should be fired.

Amazingly, for running such a DYSFUNCTIONAL CHAOTIC office, Paterson picked the disorganized Mr. Jones-Bey mismanage the Division of Minority & Women Owned Business Development.

[SpaghettyIrish]

11:43 AM on 05/26/2010

As a Rochesterian, I can tell you Duffy's too good to be wasted on an office that almost never has relevance, Paterson excepted.

[ElizabethHS]

10:45 AM on 05/26/2010

Eh, still doesn't clear up the fact that the only experience Cuomo really has is being his father's attack dog in the 1990s. Isn't anyone else sick of the political royalty in the northeast?? Let's stop anointing candidates, and let's actually run some people with experience. His miserable gubernatorial campaign in 2002 was an embarrassment, I'm surprised he wants to run again. (Although, why wouldn't he if the NY Democratic Party just assumes they'll put him on his throne?)

[Cooday]

10:43 AM on 05/26/2010

For NY Democrats Andrew Cuomo and Robert Duffy, also all our New York Democrat Candidates!

New York Democrats Courting all Independent and Obamacan voters
with our very own online concert -

Bruce Springsteen - Waitin' On A Sunny Day
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiCxqhu9cio

Jessica Alba The Stare Response
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmzcKXsllWs

Yanni - The Storm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSrH_oqnrl0