New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo was re-elected for a second term Tuesday in the 2014 midterm election.
Cuomo garnered 54 percent of the vote with 98 percent of precincts reporting on Wednesday, 41 percent for his Republican opponent Rob Astorino, and 5 percent for Green Party candidate Howie Hawkins.
Reports showed that Cuomo was a popular candidate in New York City, but was weaker in the central, western, and upstate regions of the state. Furthermore, his margin of victory fell short of the 65 percent his father received when re-elected in 1986.
Significant legislation was passed during the re-elected candidate’s time as governor: same-sex marriage was legalized and stricter gun-control laws came into play. Yet despite these wins, he has lost popularity in New York. The Wall Street Journal reported that his relationship with public-employee unions in Albany is shaky, while his backing of more stringent gun laws for does not resonate positively with the western and central regions of the state.
The governor came into the election with an upper hand, including millions of dollars that allowed him to generate advertisements against his Astorino, as well as on measures to encourage people to vote. Furthermore, Cuomo highlighted that he had support from prominent Democrats, including Bill and Hilary Clinton.
Another tactic he employed was the emphasizing of election was an opportunity to prevent Republicans from taking control.
Cuomo has suggested he would focus on enhancing infrastructure and creating jobs upstate throughout the next four years.
On Wednesday after the election, he announced the state would invest $900,000 in gun violence prevention in local communities.
With reports from The New York Times, New York Observer, and The Wall Street Journal.
