Cuomo again snubs Senate Democrats

Jimmy Vielkind of the Times Union updates us on Governor Cuomo’s continued refusal to make a blanket endorsement of Democrats in their effort to retake the State Senate. Read the governor’s answers to repeated questions about who he will, or will not, endorse. Don’t expect any name-dropping:

It’s hardly news at this point, but after a good peppering, Gov. Andrew Cuomo still refuses to endorse Democrats’ efforts to win a majority in the state Senate.

“Those decisions, though, won’t be blanket decisions. By definition, it’s a case-by-case, individual by individual decision,” the governor, a Democrat, said after unveiling an upgraded traffic information site.

Kind words from Cuomo are currently political gold. He is viewed favorably by 70 percent of voters, spanning party affiliations, according to polls. He also commands a strong bully pulpit. Republicans nearly choke on their own tongues dropping variations on “we work well with Governor Cuomo” into every sentence they utter.

When asked by Casey, the governor refused to say if he would hold a fundraiser for the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee. The DSCC is still $1.48 million in debt but will likely have around $1 million in cash for the coming elections. This is much less than the $5.4 million Republican sources indicate they’ll report next week. Cuomo has headlined a fundraiser for the Democratic Assembly Campaign Committee.

The governor said he would be open to endorsing Republicans.

“I could see myself endorsing any individual regardless of party label, depending on the positions, depending on the individual,” he said. “I’ve worked with Democrats, I’ve worked with Republicans, I’ve worked with Independents. I’ve worked against Democrats, Republicans, and Independents…I’m a Democrat, I support Democrats, but you make a decision on the person, ultimately.”

Get the point? No? Well of all the exchanges, this one was probably the most telling.

Q: Do you want to see the [state] Senate turn Democrat overall?

A: “You know, Ken, I want to see the best people in the state Senate that we can attract.”

UPDATE: Mike Murphy, a spokesman for Senate Democrats, sent along this statement.

We look forward to working with Governor Cuomo to push a number of issues that are important to him but have been blocked by the Senate Republicans including raising the minimum wage, real campaign finance reform and passing common sense gun control measures like microstamping.