Possible scenario in the 2014 NY race?

[tpfkaw]

So apparently Cuomo has a higher approval rating among Republicans and conservatives than Democrats and liberals.  What if Cuomo loses the Democratic primary to a more liberal challenger, but wins the Independence Party line and decides to run with it?  Could a 3-way race develop?

[ag]

Cuomo will not loose the Dem line, period. Which other lines he'd run on, is another matter.

[Stand With Israel. Crush Hamas]

NY Dems are not suicidal. But if it happened, there's no strong Republican challenger. Running as an independent, he would beat the Republican and Democratic nominees with something like 55% in a three-way race.

[Miles]

I thought liberals really like Eric Schneiderman. Maybe he could primary Cuomo from the left in that scenario.

[RodPresident]

A good way to destroy Cuomo's presidential ambitions for Democratic Party.

[ag]

For Cuomo to loose that primary, he'd have to be discovered in a bed w/ a dead boy - neither the dead girl, nor the live boy would do it.

[morgieb]

I say it's a chance. They'd be insane to do it though.

[tpfkaw]

I don't think it's that unrealistic, given that liberals are already lukewarm on him.  If his approvals drop 20 points or so (below the average decline for recent NY Dems...), I could easily see him losing the primary.

What would be interesting is who would get the WFP line in this scenario.  I assume whoever loses it would attempt to resurrect the Liberal Party line.

[ag]

Why would any reasonable NY Dem primary Cuomo? He is a very successful incumbent w/ real achievements on his party side (did anyone say "gay marriage"?) - and he is not really hated, just, may be, slightly annoying to some. Even to mount a serious challenge would be extremely costly. And to do this merely to run a serious risk of electing a Republican in a race that should be safe Dem? What's, exactly, the point?

[tpfkaw]

The point would be narcissism, as motivates every office-seeker.  It's not like there's a deficit of it in the state of New York.

[morgieb]

I can see Cuomo losing the WFP line.

[ag]

The point would be narcissism, as motivates every office-seeker.  It's not like there's a deficit of it in the state of New York.

It would have to be narcissism in combination w/ idiocy and complete lack of political judgement. Dismissing such a distinguished challenge shouldn't be hard.

[bgwah]

Didn't Cuomo himself get bitch-slapped when he tried running for Governor before his turn?

[© tweed]

Why would any reasonable NY Dem primary Cuomo? He is a very successful incumbent w/ real achievements on his party side (did anyone say "gay marriage"?) - and he is not really hated, just, may be, slightly annoying to some. Even to mount a serious challenge would be extremely costly. And to do this merely to run a serious risk of electing a Republican in a race that should be safe Dem? What's, exactly, the point?

he is certainly hated by education unions and elements of the activist-progressive infrastructure.  however they will not stand in his way.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

While I'm no Cuomo fan, he'd win. The best the Democrats could hope for is the results to match the 2006 CT Senate race.

[Napoleon]

Not going to happen, though Cuomo's Nixon-esque sensitivity to criticism would make a serious primary challenge a good show.

He's Italian, not insane...

[Erc]

While I'm no Cuomo fan, he'd win. The best the Democrats could hope for is the results to match the 2006 CT Senate race.

New York Republicans also hate Cuomo; he's no Joe Lieberman.  Even in this crazy scenario, generic R still has a 25% floor.

[hopper]

Coumo is doing a good job. Don't hate on him. He is doing all the right things. Replacing the state's flat income tax with a progressive income tax maybe a catch 22 though.

[Smash255]

His approval with Dems is basically double if not triple what Lieberman had, its not even remotely in the same ballpark....