Cynthia Nixon ended months of speculation Monday when she announced her bid to run for governor of New York.
The actress, who is a lifelong New Yorker, is now set to challenge two-term Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary this September.
If elected, she would make history as both the first female and the first openly LGBTQ governor of New York. Those facts did not go unnoticed by the award-winning actressās sizable fanbase, many of whom continue to associate her with her iconic character, Miranda Hobbes, on HBOās āSex and the City.ā
Rosie OāDonnell expressed her support for Nixonās gubernatorial campaign ...
... as did the famously outspoken YouTube comedian Randy Rainbow.
However, the campaign announcement received a less-than-enthusiastic response from former New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn. The openly gay Quinn, who has campaigned for Cuomo, blasted Nixon as āan unqualified lesbianā in a New York Post interview. āThis is a time to move away from celebrity and toward progressive leadership,ā she said.
In fact, Nixon, who is bisexual, and her wife, Christine Marinoni, have been advocates for public education, womenās rights and LGBTQ rights for some time. Mayor Bill de Blasio named Nixon to the advisory board for the Mayorās Fund to Advance New York City in 2014, and Marinoni has served as an adviser to the New York City Department of Education in the de Blasio administration.
Check out some of the best LGBTQ reactions to Nixonās campaign announcement below.
Can you save your "Too many celebrities in politics right now" rant for a day when a queer woman with years of public schooling advocacy isn't stepping up?
— Louis Virtel (@louisvirtel) March 19, 2018
Me to Cynthia Nixon after she announced sheās running for governor of New York. šøš pic.twitter.com/gd0hxVPWsN
— Danny Pellegrino (@DannyPellegrino) March 19, 2018
Moves like @CynthiaNixon's are inspiring on a few different levels.
— Jean-Paul Bevilacqua (@jpbevi) March 19, 2018
To see a queer woman without the "conventional" professional background challenge the political status quo is an important thing to see.
That she's also qualified only strengthens the power of her example.
(Quick reminder that Cynthia Nixon identifies more as bisexual than a lesbian, thank you for your time)
— Caroline Framke (@carolineframke) March 19, 2018
Cynthia Nixon is very smart, and Andrew Cuomo deserves to be primaried.
— Mark Harris (@MarkHarrisNYC) March 19, 2018
*gets on a soapbox, having never seen a single episode of Sex and the City, clears throat into a megaphone* CYNTHIA NIXON IS BISEXUAL, NOT A LESBIAN. THANK YOU.
— Ryan Smith (@wryansmith) March 20, 2018
i've just seen a tweet saying that rushing in to correct people who call cynthia nixon a lesbian makes bisexuals look like we don't like lesbians. this is incorrect. what we don't like is erasure.
— VIVA LA BISEXUAL REP (@Jennirrific) March 20, 2018
Yes, @CynthiaNixon is a celebrity, but she's also a proud queer woman, and the optics of that alone are admirable
— Xorje Olivares (@XorjeO) March 19, 2018
@CynthiaNixon was one of the first openly and unapologetically queer public figures i ever looked up to or discovered for myself and it's really rad to see her running on such a progressive and equity (!!!!!!) driven platform.
— madeline but not the cartoonš (@fatherqueerest) March 19, 2018
Former 'Sex and the City' actress Cynthia Nixon is running for governor of New York. She would be the state's first female and first openly LGBT governor. https://t.co/TZRYBw4dKT
— Mary Emily OāHara (@MaryEmilyOHara) March 19, 2018
a twitter bot that just replies "cynthia nixon is bisexual" to every publication on the internet
— Danny Nett (@dannynett) March 19, 2018
Gay Twitter is hilariously shook about Cynthia Nixon announcing her candidacy. You'd think Cher just won the Nobel Prize or something.
— Tom & Lorenzo (@tomandlorenzo) March 19, 2018
As a single father, as a gay man and as a black man Iām excited by @CynthiaNixon being a candidate because I love what she represents. Now itās time to dive deep and research her political agenda. That will be the determining factor. https://t.co/7FahHaWUQv
— Karamo Brown (@KaramoBrown) March 19, 2018
Cynthia. A person Iām lucky enough to call my friend. And, better yet, a person New York would be lucky to call their governor. Good luck.
— Brian Burns (@brianTburns_) March 19, 2018
X, SJ. pic.twitter.com/MjMYqyo5Tv
Every single gay in all five boroughs made a Cynthia Nixon/Laura Linney governing in rep joke today but not one of you asked her where she stands on legislating a Sex and the City sequel.
— Alan Henry (@AlanHenry) March 19, 2018