NY Midterms: Cuomo, Gillibrand Cruise To Re-Election

NEW YORK — Gov. Andrew Cuomo easily won a third term Tuesday as his fellow New York Democrats surfed a blue wave to power. NY1 called a victory for the governor over his Republican challenger, Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro, just after the polls closed at 9 p.m.

Cuomo had more than 3.35 million votes, or about 57.9 percent, to Molinaro's nearly 2.1 million, or about 36 percent, with more than 99 percent of election districts reporting, according to unofficial results from the state Board of Elections. Cuomo's victory also secured a second term for his running mate, Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul.

NY1 also called an easy win for Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand over her GOP challenger, private equity executive Chele Chiavacci Farley. She had more than 3.7 million votes to Farley's nearly 1.9 million with more than 99 percent of election districts reporting.

The victories came as Democrats were poised to take control of the state Senate from Republicans, cementing one-party rule of the state government as the party continues its fight against President Donald Trump. The power shift could mean big policy changes next year on issues such as abortion rights.

"Today’s election made clear that New York is not buying what President Trump is selling," Cuomo told a crowd of supporters gathered in a Midtown Manhattan hotel ballroom.

The crowd cheered and chanted the governor's name after news of his expected victory broke. A truck parked outside the building bore a bright screen touting Cuomo as an “Experienced Leader” who is “Taking on Trump.”

The truck distilled the central message of Cuomo’s campaign — that he’s the one best equipped to defend New Yorkers from what he views as a hostile administration in Washington. That message was echoed somewhat down the ballot by Public Advocate Letitia James, the Democrat who became the state’s first black woman attorney general on Tuesday.

Cuomo and Gillibrand's victory speeches took direct aim at Trump, casting him as a leader intent on dividing the nation.

"Our progressive government has proven that we can provide opportunities for all New Yorkers, that the president’s calculus is wrong," Cuomo said. "Society’s success is not a zero-sum game. It’s not I win only if you lose. It’s we all win bigger when we work together."

Lines at rain-soaked polling places in New York City pointed to unusually high turnout for a midterm election following recent surge in registered Democratic voters.

Fighting an uphill battle, Molinaro cast Cuomo as a bully who has let corruption fester in Albany and has not done enough to tamp down state spending. He pushed back against the governor’s insistence that he was a Trump “mini-me,” noting that he did not vote for the president in 2016.

But that wasn’t enough in a state where active registered Democrats outnumber Republicans more than two to one at a time when Democrats hoped anti-Trump enthusiasm would help them make gains in Albany and Washington.

Both Cuomo and Gillibrand have grown their national profiles as vociferous critics of Trump, leading to speculation that they may run for president in 2020. But have said they will serve out the entirety of their new terms.

Also on Tuesday, Democrat Alessandra Biaggi appeared poised to claim an easy victory in the 34th State Senate District covering parts of The Bronx and Westchester County. She won a September primary against incumbent Sen. Jeff Klein, the former leader of the Independent Democratic Conference, a now-defunct group of breakaway Democrats who aligned themselves with Republicans for years.

Biaggi had 49,668 with about 91.2 percent of election disctricts reporting, while Republican Richard Ribustello had 9,517 and Conservative Party candidate Antonio Vitiello had 1,117. Klein got 4,586 votes on the Independence Party line.

(Lead image: Gov. Andrew Cuomo, right, stands with Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul during an an election night watch party hosted by the New York State Democratic Committee on Tuesday. Photo by Mary Altaffer/Associated Press)