The governor had been banking on the unions — whose leaders have praised him for pushing things like a $15 minimum wage — to help him once again win the nomination. | AP Photo/Mike Groll Cuomo cedes WFP line, labor unions pull out of party

ALBANY — In a move that virtually guarantees Cynthia Nixon a spot on the November ballot, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced late Friday that he would not seek the Working Families Party’s nomination — ceding it to the “Sex and the City” actor who is running against him in a Democratic primary.

The governor’s announcement came after the remaining labor unions pulled out of the party on Friday, citing frustration with the activist groups within its ranks that have backed Nixon and are poised to direct the party nomination to her — perhaps as early as Saturday.


The exit of 32BJ SEIU and the Communications Workers of America was the latest in a long exodus of unions from the WFP that began in 2014, when the party nearly endorsed Zephyr Teachout, Cuomo’s left-flank challenger that year. Cuomo won, but the WFP became further dominated by groups like Citizen Action and Make the Road.

"The schism within the Working Families Party between their founding unions and some organizing entities is unfortunate,” Abbey Fashouer, a spokeswoman for Cuomo 2018, wrote in an email. “Given the announcement today that the remaining unions will no longer be a part of the WFP, we stand in solidarity with them and will not be seeking the endorsement of the third-party line at their convention next month.”

Cuomo had been banking on the unions — whose leaders have praised him for pushing things like a $15 minimum wage and paid family leave — to help him once again win the nomination. People following the party told POLITICO in recent days that it appears increasingly clear Nixon has the votes to win its nomination, prompting the unions to pull out.

“Endorsing Governor Cuomo is the most effective way to put the interest of working families first. The latest developments show that the current leadership of the WFP disagrees with that approach, and we have been unable to convince them otherwise,” CWA and 32BJ said in a joint statement. “For that reason, we are not attending tomorrow's state committee meeting and will be pulling out of the New York State Working Families Party. We will continue our mission as unions to uplift the lives of all working people.”

Regardless of who wins the Democratic primary, Cuomo should retain a spot on the general election ballot. Leaders of the Independence Party, which backed the Democratic scion in 2010 and 2014, have already said they will endorse Cuomo for a third term.

A poll released this week by Marist and NBC 4 New York showed Cuomo with a 47-point lead over Nixon among Democratic primary voters.

According to the New York Times, the unions’ plan was discussed earlier Friday during a meeting at the United Federation of Teachers headquarters between the unions and activist groups. Representatives of the Cuomo campaign did not attend.

In a statement, WFP State Director Bill Lipton said the unions were in a “tight spot,” but he respects their decision.

“The Working Families Party has always fought for the rights of unions and for all working families and that will never change,” Lipton stated. “We will stand up for workers, tenants, commuters, home owners, immigrants, people of color, students — and every other New Yorker who needs a voice. We will continue to fight for a New York that works for all working families.”

Lipton also stated that Cuomo had been threatening groups earlier this week, telling them, "if unions or anyone give money to any of these groups, they can lose my number." According to a POLITICO analysis of WFP donors last summer, individual donors have made up for the loss of labor support for the WFP’s operations.

Fashouer shared statements from three labor leaders who denied they were threatened. Citizen Action Executive Director Karen Scharff, a WFP co-chair, sent a fundraising email later Friday with the subject, “BREAKING: Gov. Cuomo threatens us.”

While Cuomo’s first-term fiscal platform did not align with the WFP, he eventually agreed to take its line in 2010. Under New York law, a party retains a permanent ballot line if its gubernatorial candidate gets 50,000 votes in the general election, and not having Cuomo was seen as a huge risk.

Cuomo wrested the WFP line from Teachout in 2014, in a move that left many bitter. But after her stronger-than-expected showing in the Democratic primary, he tacked left after 2014 and has pushed through many WFP priorities the union leaders mentioned, including the minimum wage hike and a new scholarship program aimed at middle-class students.

Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.) said Cuomo was a “rock star” and would succeed without the WFP because he had broad backing.

“You’re seeing the majority, the silent majority of progressive activists in this state really stick up for someone who’s really got a progressive record. That’s how I feel,” he said. “You’re seeing a really healthy conversation in the WFP about what the heck they’re doing and why. If this guy’s not a progressive, I don’t know who is.”

Nixon strategist Rebecca Katz said the fight was a sign the candidate’s run has Cuomo worried.

“Andrew Cuomo putting his personal political ambitions over the needs of grassroots organizations fighting for racial and economic justice tells you everything you need to know about him,” Katz said in a statement. “And it shows just how terrified he is of Cynthia Nixon.”