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Whose Line Is It, Anyway?

The Working Families Party considers itself the "conscience" of the Democratic party -- and the arch-enemy of Andrew Cuomo.

Should Cynthia Nixon vacate the Working Families Party's ballot line for governor in November and let incumbent Andrew Cuomo take her place?

For members of the WFP and the candidates involved, it's not a simple question.

  • The party needs to win at least 50,000 gubernatorial votes in 2018 in order to secure a ballot line the next time the governor's race comes up in 2022. And Cuomo could help them do that.
  • The party also doesn't want to siphon off votes from Cuomo and inadvertently hand a victory to Republican candidate Marc Molinaro.
  • Many WFP members detest Cuomo. They consider him a bully and a 'triangulator,' who has paid lip service to many liberal goals while empowering Republicans in the state senate to stymie those same goals. That's why they endorsed the television actor and activist in April instead of Cuomo.
  • Cuomo detests the WFP and the activist wing of the Democratic Party it represents. He considers them impractical ideologues, whose answer to everything is raise taxes and expand government.
  • Nixon can't just withdraw. Due to New York's arcane election laws, once you're on the general election ballot, the only way to get off is to die, move or run for another office.

The Working Families Party has effectively held open another spot on the ballot where Nixon could move to vacate the governor line — as state legislator representing the 66th Assembly District, on Manhattan's Lower West Side. But Nixon has said she supports the Democratic incumbent there, Deborah Glick — though Nixon could take the WFP line and refuse to mount a campaign.

Nixon strategist Rebecca Katz declined to comment on the candidate's latest thinking.

The Working Families Party is meeting Thursday to discuss next steps, with a vote next Wednesday.

"We're a grass roots party, and the process of deciding on who's on ballot lines is going to be driven by our members," WFP's New York State director, Bill Lipton, told WNYC. 

He said the decision would also be made in conjunction with Nixon and Jumaane Williams, the WFP's nominee for lieutenant governor.