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Could Third-Party Candidates Play Spoiler Roles In November Governor's Race? Stay Tuned

Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Democratic challenger Cynthia Nixon during s primary debate on WCBS-TV.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Democratic challenger Cynthia Nixon during s primary debate on WCBS-TV.

Photo Credit: WCBS-TV
Former Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner, a registered Democrat, has launched an independent bid to challenge Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New Castle.

Former Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner, a registered Democrat, has launched an independent bid to challenge Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New Castle.

Photo Credit: Wikipedia
Libertarian Party candidate Larry Sharpe of Queens is interviewed by Brian Harrod of Yonkers.

Libertarian Party candidate Larry Sharpe of Queens is interviewed by Brian Harrod of Yonkers.

Photo Credit: YouTube

The leaders of a small but influential Working Families Party are scheduled to vote on Wednesday, Oct. 3 to decide whether to keep Cynthia Nixon as its candidate for governor on Nov. 6, or endorse Gov. Andrew Cuomo and avoid playing the role of a spoiler. Green Party candidate Howie Hawkins also is seeking to be on the WFP ballot line on Nov. 6 instead of Nixon.

One of the possible deals is backing Nixon in a state Assembly race against a fellow Democratic lesbian, Deborah Glick, as reported here earlier by the New York Post. 

The problem is:  Nixon, best known for her HBO role on "Sex And The City," hasn't even said if she wants to serve in the state legislature. Nixon received more than 500,000 votes statewide in the Sept. 13 primary loss to Cuomo

Cuomo also faces Democratic vote loss in November from another third-party candidate, Stephanie Miner

Miner, a former Syracuse mayor and State Democratic Party chairwoman will appear on the Serve America Movement line also known as SAM.

In addition to Hawkins, another  third-party candidate is Larry Sharpe of the Libertarian Party: a local interview profiling Sharpe can be found by clicking here. (Libertarian Party presidential nominee Gary Johnson received more than 176,000 votes in New York state in 2016.) 

"It's the only real third party we have,''' Sharpe said in his interview with Brian Harrod of Yonkers. 

Sharpe said Cuomo and Molinaro are running on non-issues, with Cuomo linking Molinaro to Trump and Molinaro harping on corruption -- while 100,000 New Yorkers move out of the state each year. Sharpe said he, too, also though of moving to North Carolina but chose to try to fix the state instead by running for public office.

After endorsing Nixon in her Sept. 13 primary against Cuomo, the Working Families Party saw the governor trounce her. 

In addition to tonight, the Working Families Party plans to meet next week to make a final decision. 

Removing Nixon's name from the gubernatorial ballot line complex. She would have to run for a different office. If that happens and the Working Families Party tries to back Cuomo, the governor still can refuse to accept their endorsement.

Bill O'Reilly, spokesman for Republican Marc Molinaro's campaign said:: "Ms. Nixon ran a smart and spirited primary, and whatever she decides to do in the general election will be the right decision for her."

"Marc Molinaro plans to significantly cut taxes, not raise them -- but on the need to banish the institutional corruption we've seen in Albany under Andrew Cuomo, (Nixon) and Dutchess County Executive Molinaro have been singing near-identical tunes."

Overshadowing the Working Family Party's decision is the fact it needs its candidate for governor to get 50,000 votes on Nov. 6 to get an automatic line on all ballots for another four years. It's a vote that could determine the party's future.

WFP Chairman Bill Lipton said, "Over the next 10 to 15 days, we are going to be making a final decision about our ballot line."

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