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Howie Hawkins and the Green Party reached out to the Working Families Party today in an attempt to join forces to defeat Gov. Andrew Cuomo this fall.

(Al Campanie/The Post-Standard)

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Green Party gubernatorial candidate Howie Hawkins today reached out to the Working Families Party with one message -- let's team up to defeat Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

The overture from Hawkins, of Syracuse, comes as some progressive voices in the Democratic Party -- as well as the union-backed Working Families Party -- are criticizing Cuomo's first four years.

The Greens and the WFP share some views on higher wages, health care benefits, tax reforms and other ideas, Hawkins and other Green officers say. But the Green Party doesn't carry the same threat as the Working Families Party, which can more easily organize fundraising and votes.

A spokesman for the Working Families Party declined to comment.

Hawkins, who ran for governor for years ago, is campaigning to raise Green Party issues and to get at least 50,000 votes to keep the party on the state ballot for the next four years.

Cuomo today accepted the nomination from the Democratic Party to run for a second term. The Republican candidate is Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino.

Here's a copy of the Green Party's letter:



To the Executive Board of the Working Families Party of New York State:

We share opposition to the conservative economic, fiscal, educational, and environmental policies of Governor Cuomo. We also share common progressive policy goals, including single payer health care, raising minimum wages, progressive tax reform, fully-funded public schools, tuition-free CUNY and SUNY, a ban on fracking, and building a carbon-free economy by 2030.

It therefore makes sense that we should meet to discuss how we can work together for a united fight against the Cuomo agenda and for the policy goals we share.

Please let us know if you are interested in meeting to discuss cooperation on these goals.

Sincerely,

Howie Hawkins, Green candidate for NY Governor

Brian Jones, Green candidate for NY Lt. Governor

Gloria Mattera, Co-Chair, Green Party of New York State

Michael O'Neil, Co-Chair, Green Party of New York State



