Head-to-head: Molinaro v. Cuomo: Molinaro wins the Republican nomination for governor

NEW YORK STATE — It’s official. In November, Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro, a Republican, will face off in the gubernatorial race against current Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo. The two were chosen by their respective parties last week.

Cuomo — who is the son of the late Gov. Mario Cuomo — will be seeking his third term in office. He was nominated at the state Democratic convention on Long Island on Wednesday, May 23. 

The incumbent had support from former Secretary of State, U.S. Senator and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Clinton praised the governor’s stance on education, the environment, health care and equality in her keynote address.

Cuomo will be on the ballot alongside his lieutenant governor, Kathy Hochul. 

“Sex in the City” actress Cynthia Nixon, meanwhile, received less than 5 percent of the vote, which means she will have to collect voter signatures to make it onto the Democratic primary ballot this September. Nixon, best known for her HBO series and, more recently, as a liberal activist, was likewise at the convention last week.

Also last week, the Republican convention was held in Manhattan; on Wednesday that party nominated Molinaro as its candidate for governor. Molinaro, who has led Dutchess County since 2012, was once the youngest mayor in America. He served as mayor for the village of Tivoli when only 19 years old (he joined the Tivoli Board of Trustees when just 18).

Commenting last week that he doesn’t come from wealth or fame, like his two opponents, Molinaro served in the New York State Assembly and the Dutchess County Legislature before making it to the county executive’s office. 

Now 42, Molinaro announced he was seeking the state’s highest office back in April. This month he announced that he’s chosen Julie Killian, a former deputy mayor in the Westchester town of Rye, as his running mate for lieutenant governor.

Molinaro, who is well known in the Hudson Valley but still making a name for himself in the rest of the state, was forecast as the potential nominee after a straw poll was taken in March that predicted him as winner.

New York is a blue state. Democrats outnumber Republicans by more than 2 to 1. Not since Gov. George Pataki left office in 2006 have there been Republicans in statewide office in New York. A former mayor in the Westchester town of Peekskill, Pataki served three terms as governor.

Pataki was at last week’s GOP convention, and spoke to the crowd before Molinaro accepted the nomination. The former governor mentioned that he also fought the odds when he beat then-Gov. Mario Cuomo back in 1994. 

According to NBC, public opinion polls have Molinaro trailing Cuomo by 26 percentage points.

Also addressed at the recent political gatherings, how to best replace former Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who resigned earlier this month after being accused of physically abusing multiple women with whom he’s had romantic relationships.

For the Republicans, there is a list of attorneys hoping to make it onto the GOP ballot, including Manhattan attorney Manny Alicandro, former Pataki administration official Joe Holland, Rockland County attorney Thomas Humbach and Manhattan attorney Keith Wofford.

To make it onto the Republican ballot, candidates must get support from 25 percent of the delegates; otherwise, they need to petition their way onto the ticket.

The Democrats, meanwhile, have nominated New York City Public Advocate Letitia James for the position. James garnered 85 percent of the delegate votes, beating out Buffalo attorney Leecia Eve and law professor, former gubernatorial candidate and Clinton resident Zephyr Teachout.