Andrew Cuomo's Fall from Hero to Villain

Incumbent New York Governor, Andrew Cuomo, has been the face of the state since he assumed the post on January 1st, 2011. As the leader of the 4th most populous state in the USA, he has often been deemed a role model for his response to the coronavirus and liberal social policies like the $15 minimum wage. However, in recent months, that illusion has been shattered in light of allegations and scandals concerning his professional work.

First elected in 2010, Andrew Cuomo (Democrat) secured a comfortable majority over his Republican challenger Carl Paladino, with Cuomo securing 63% of votes cast. His popularity has been demonstrated in elections after this as well, securing 54% and 59% in the 2014 and 2018 elections. In the 2014 and 2018 elections, Cuomo ran with former congresswoman of New York’s 26th congressional district, Kathy Hochul, making her Lieutenant Governor of the State and the next in line to the coveted Governorship, which could be in grasp in light of the recent scandals with Governor Cuomo. This would see Hochul make history as the first female governor for the state since the position's creation in 1777.

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During his time as governor, Cuomo has succeeded in implementing popular policies with his base, such as legalising gay marriage and introducing paid family leave. Following the passing of same-sex marriage legislation, one advocate said that “for gay Americans, Mr. Cuomo was the only national politician with hero status”. As governor he also oversaw the creation of 1 million jobs which saw a drastic decrease in New York unemployment, however, many criticise this as job growth has been mostly centered around New York City, with few exceptions such as the $750 million solar-panel-manufacturing plant in Buffalo. This was his record pre-coronavirus, since then there have been vast shifts in popularity.

Governor Cuomo’s record on the recent coronavirus pandemic has been met both with praise and criticism. Some hail him “The King of New York”, whilst some call for him to resign. In contrast to other state leaders, Cuomo was reluctant in his early response to the pandemic, initially hesitant at issuing stay-at-home orders - even as cases soared. Despite this, many saw Cuomo as a breath of fresh air in comparison to President Trump, who was leading the response at that time. In his characteristic “I'm-walking-here” style of briefings, he calmly delivered updates about the pandemic in the state, a stark contrast to the president’s style.

Nevertheless, this was not enough to disguise a major scandal. In February 2021, Governor Cuomo admitted to withholding data in regards to deaths from the coronavirus in care homes. Initially, his policy was to force nursing homes to welcome patients back despite having a positive coronavirus test, to relieve the overflowing hospitals of New York. The New York State Department of Health dramatically underreported the statewide deaths of care-home residents for months, adding almost 9,000 deaths to the current death toll in care homes. A report by New York Attorney General, Letitia James, stated that there was a higher number of deaths than the DOH reported and said the total deaths may have been “undercounted by as much as 50 per cent”. This was a scandal that first awakened calls for the governor to resign, however, a larger personal scandal was significantly more deadly to Cuomo.

Multiple women, including current and former state employees, have accused Governor Cuomo of sexual harassment and other inappropriate behaviour, prompting an investigation to be opened by the state Attorney General, Letitia James. This has reawakened state and national calls for the governor to resign, to which Cuomo remains defiant, suggesting that the calls for resignation were driven by political differences and cancel culture. However, Mr. Cuomo has apologised for “acting in a way that made people feel uncomfortable” while continuing to deny any allegations as the scandals build up around him.

On the 10th of August 2021, facing a wave of scandal, the governor stated that “given the circumstances, the best way I can help now is if I step aside and let the government get back to governing”. With his resignation taking effect in 14 days, he leaves behind the state’s top job, leaving Lt. Governor Kathy Hochul to take over – a decision that makes Mrs. Hochul the first woman to hold the position. Hochul confirmed that her first act as governor would be to choose a new lieutenant governor, a move that many see as her chance to define her governorship and leave the long shadow cast by Andrew Cuomo.

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Andrew Cuomo has ended a decade-long reign over the state in a way he never would have predicted. Many hail his resignation as a good thing, and look forward to Kathy Hochul’s governorship. which she has suggested would be full of “progressive policies”. These scandals have rocked the state to its core; now New Yorkers from all across the state look to Mrs. Hochul for stable leadership as the world faces one of its biggest crises.