Cynthia Nixon Loses to Governor Andrew Cuomo in the New York Gubernatorial Democratic Primary
Nearly six months after announcing her bid for New York governor, Cynthia Nixon fell to incumbent Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary on Thursday.
Cuomo easily held off the former Sex and the City actress, and he had an early lead less than an hour into the official count.
As Nixon conceded just after 10.30 p.m., Cuomo was ahead 2 votes-to-1.
Following her defeat on Thursday night, Nixon sent out a thread of tweets, acknowledging that “while the result tonight wasn’t what we had hoped for, I’m not discouraged. I’m inspired.”
“We have fundamentally changed the political landscape in this state,” she added.
She also told her 239,000 followers that the “campaign changed expectations about what’s possible in New York State,” explaining that “issues of racial and economic justice” were moved to the “forefront.”
“We reached out to voters who’d never been talked to, and on issues they’d never heard addressed by any candidate. We expanded the electorate by bringing new voters and younger voters into the process — and we did it all without accepting a dime of corporate money.”
“Thank you all for believing and fighting and leaving it all on the field. We started something here in New York, and it doesn’t end today. This is just the beginning. And I know that together, we will win this fight.”
Nixon — a first time candidate — ran on a progressive platform with stances like fixing New York City’s subway system, legalizing marijuana and supporting single-payer healthcare. She told PEOPLE when revealing her intention to run, “Women have to lead and speak up.”
“I just think we need to have more people of color and women and LGBT people not just represented — but leading,” Nixon, 52, continued. “If we want to fix our world, they know what’s wrong with it because they’ve been on the short end of the stick.”
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During an appearance on The Wendy Williams Show in April, Nixon said that Trump’s election shook her and served as a “wake-up call” for getting into politics.
“I love New York,” she said. “I believe so much in New York and I believe that we’re a real progressive bastion.”
Though Nixon has been an activist for years, she said she didn’t feel she was doing enough to propel the change she wished to see, particularly in her home state. She said, “If we don’t like the direction our government is going in, we have to step up and get involved like never before. That’s what I’m doing.”
The veteran star also took on critics who argue that she’s just another celebrity running for office, pointing out that when Cuomo, 60, first ran he was seen as a celebrity candidate too, as his father is former New York Governor Mario Cuomo.
“It is tough,” Nixon said. “People talk a lot to me about being a celebrity entering this race. I have to say, when Andrew Cuomo ran eight years ago, he was a celebrity because he was the son of Mario Cuomo.”
Cuomo was first elected in the position in 2010 after serving for four years as New York’s attorney general.
Cuomo will now face Republican candidate Marc Molinaro in the Nov. 6 elections.
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