Cuomo's win won't be state's first family affair

Although a father and son had never been elected governor in New York before Andrew Cuomo won Tuesday, there have been famous relations in the statehouse.

DeWitt Clinton was the nephew of the first New York governor, George Clinton, while John Adams Dix was the uncle of John Alden Dix.

And Theodore and Franklin D. Roosevelt were fifth cousins.

Cuomo, who beat Republican challenger Carl Paladino, is the son of former Gov. Mario Cuomo, who served as governor from Jan. 1, 1983 until Dec. 31, 1994. He was succeeded by George E. Pataki.

Andrew Cuomo will become the 56th man to serve as governor. The previous 55 served 59 terms at the top.

Gov. George Clinton, "the father of New York," according to the state government website, served seven terms totaling 21 years - 18 of those years consecutive, making him the longest-serving governor in state history.

He first took office on July 30, 1777. His nephew, DeWitt, served from July 1, 1817 until 1822 and then again from 1825 until Feb. 11, 1828.

Four governors - Martin Van Buren, Grover Cleveland, Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin Delano Roosevelt - have gone on to become president.

Charles Poletti served the shortest term as state governor - just 29 days. He took office when Herbert H. Lehman resigned to become director of foreign relief and rehabilitation operations for the State Department in 1942.

He was replaced by Thomas E. Dewey, who, by the way, didn't defeat Harry Truman for president in 1948.

+ Gov. Nelson A. Rockefeller was elected to the top office four times, then was nominated to become vice president by President Gerald Ford in 1974. Ford became president with the resignation of Richard Nixon. The Rockefeller nomination was confirmed by Congress, making him just the second appointed vice president ever.