The Teachout problem Cuomo can’t seem to shake
Liz Benjamin
If he were the kind of person who admitted that things don’t always go according to plan, Gov. Andrew Cuomo would probably concede that his Democratic primary opponent, Zephyr Teachout, had a good few days last week.
Within a span of just five days, Teachout’s long-shot Democratic campaign won round one of a legal battle with Cuomo over her residency, though the governor is appealing the Brooklyn judge’s ruling; got a much-needed infusion of some $50,000, thanks to a boost from the political action committee of Harvard law professor and leading campaign finance reform advocate Lawrence Lessig; and announced an endorsement from the Public Employees Federation, New York’s second-largest public union.
Like any good politician, Teachout and her campaign sought to capitalize on these developments, holding them out as proof that her underdog challenge to Cuomo is gaining “momentum” as the Sept. 9 primary draws near.
This will all be cause for irritation for Cuomo—whose desire to control every aspect of his public narrative is extreme, even for a big-time politician—even if it’s not yet a reason for major worry.
http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/albany/2014/08/8550903/teachout-problem-cuomo-cant-seem-shake