Gov. Andrew Cuomo endorses Anna Throne-Holst in 1st CD

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has endorsed Democrat Anna Throne-Holst for Congress and is taking shots at Rep. Lee Zeldin, a former GOP state senator who voted against the governor’s gun legislation, known as the SAFE Act.

Cuomo touted Throne-Holst as a “no nonsense” former Southampton Town supervisor, an advocate for a clean water research center at Stony Brook University and a champion of reasonable gun laws “to keep us safe.”

Cuomo criticized Zeldin, who served in the state Senate for four years, for opposing the SAFE Act. The state legislation requires criminal and mental health background checks, reduces the availability of assault weapons, bans high-capacity magazines and tracks ammunition purchases.

“In Congress, Zeldin has voted time and again against common-sense gun legislation on the federal level, contributing to the inaction and gridlock crippling Washington,” said Cuomo. “Zeldin has allowed the grip of the NRA to persuade his positions, forgoing the needs of his constituents for the deep pockets of the gun lobby.

Zeldin said he “won’t lose any sleep” over Cuomo’s endorsement, given Cuomo’s “obsessive push for Common Core” and “awfully written” gun laws.

“After his preferred candidate gets crushed in seven weeks at the polls, hopefully the governor will choose to be a little less partisan,” Zeldin said.