No Cuomo Monday night. Nassau Dems will go to bat nationally
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo delivers his state of the state address at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center on Jan. 3, 2018, in Albany. Credit: AP / Hans Pennink
This originally appeared in The Point, the editorial board's newsletter for political insiders. To subscribe, click here.
The Nassau County Democratic Committee is celebrating its landmark November county and Hempstead Town race wins Monday night at its annual spring dinner, but Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo will be a no-show.
That November momentum and this year’s gubernatorial race sold out the event at the Crest Hollow Country Club, which Cuomo was supposed to headline. Regular tables cost $6,500 each, or $7,500 for the VIP perk of a private reception with Cuomo afterward.
Tables cost $1,500 less last year. The purchasers of 25 VIP tables this year (compared with none last year) will get their extra $1,000 refunded — with the promise of a future meet-and-greet with the governor.
Cuomo, who is deep in the state budget negotiations in Albany, canceled early Monday afternoon. Knowing that the negotiations were ongoing, the county party had planned to pick up the tab to fly him down and back to minimize his time away from the capital.
There’s still the possibility of a video feed from the governor, but party chairman Jay Jacobs will now have to rally the troops for the state and local races, which Cuomo was supposed to do, in addition to previewing the Democrats’ national agenda to take back the House and Senate. The Nassau Democrats will be raising funds to seek the Long Island seats of Republican Reps. Peter King and Lee Zeldin, as well as for pivotal congressional races around the country.
With more than 1,200 expected to attend from across New York, the NCDC could become a heavy hitter in the big leagues.
