Politics on the Hudson

Attorney general and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Cuomo today said if he’s going to accept the endorsement of the Working Families Party, they need to also back his agenda.

And that agenda includes a property-tax cap and freezing public-employees salaries, something the labor-backed party has vigorously fought.

“I’m going to appeal to them and say I think you should endorse my platform. I think it’s in the best interest of the state, the best interests of the members. I understand they may have had differences on some of the issues before, but today is a new day and we’re in crisis and step up,” Cuomo said this morning on Fred Dicker’s Albany radio show.

Cuomo has declined to take the Working Families Party endorsement because of a federal investigation into its dealings. But with that case appearing to end without any charges, Cuomo said he would consider the party’s endorsement, but only if it gets on board with his platform.

“If they are going to support me, they need to support the agenda. If you don’t support my agenda, then they can’t support me and they can’t support my candidacy,” he said.

Cuomo has picked up most of the major labor endorsements, but the New York State United Teachers union has most notably declined to back Cuomo, largely because of his support of a 2 percent property-tax cap— which would mainly affect school spending.

The Working Families Party faces potential extinction if it doesn’t back Cuomo. It needs 50,000 votes to remain on the ballot in four years, but without Cuomo as its flagbearer, that could be a difficult task.

Meanwhile, Cuomo said again he hasn’t made a decision on if and when he will make an endorsement in the Democratic attorney general race to succeed him. The primary between the five candidates is Tuesday.

“From my point of view, I’m interested in what they believe, what they want to do with the office, and then are they going to be part of the coalition we are putting together,” Cuomo said, adding “I am still thinking it through.”

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