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Nearlysix months after announcing her bidfor New York governor, Cynthia Nixon fell to incumbent Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary on Thursday.
Cuomo easily held off the formerSex and the Cityactress, and he had an early lead less than an hour into the official count.
As Nixon conceded just after 10.30 p.m., Cuomo was ahead 2 votes-to-1.
“We have fundamentally changed the political landscape in this state,” she added.
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She also told her 239,000 followers that the “campaign changed expectations about what’s possible in New York State,” explaining that “issues of racial and economic justice” were moved to the “forefront.”
“Thank you all for believing and fighting and leaving it all on the field. We started something here in New York, and it doesn’t end today. This is just the beginning. And I know that together, we will win this fight.”
Nixon — a first time candidate — ran on a progressiveplatformwith stances like fixing New York City’s subway system, legalizing marijuana and supporting single-payer healthcare. She told PEOPLE when revealing her intention to run, “Women have to lead and speak up.”
“I just think we need to have more people of color and women and LGBT people not just represented — but leading,” Nixon, 52, continued. “If we want to fix our world, they know what’s wrong with it because they’ve been on the short end of the stick.”
During an appearance onTheWendy WilliamsShowin April, Nixon said that Trump’s election shook her and served as a “wake-up call” for getting into politics.
“I love New York,” she said. “I believe so much in New York and I believe that we’re a real progressive bastion.”
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Though Nixon has been an activist for years, she said she didn’t feel she was doing enough to propel the change she wished to see, particularly in her home state. She said, “If we don’t like the direction our government is going in, we have to step up and get involved like never before.That’s what I’m doing.”
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The veteran star also took on critics who argue that she’s just another celebrity running for office, pointing out that when Cuomo, 60, first ran he was seen as a celebrity candidate too, as his father is former New York Governor Mario Cuomo.
“It is tough,” Nixon said. “People talk a lot to me about being a celebrity entering this race. I have to say, when Andrew Cuomo ran eight years ago, he was a celebrity because he was the son of Mario Cuomo.”
Cuomo was first elected in the position in 2010 after serving for four years as New York’s attorney general.
Cuomo will now face Republican candidate Marc Molinaro in the Nov. 6 elections.
source: people.com
