Democratic NY Governor Refuses To Endorse NY Democrat

In case you missed it over the weekend, Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo has refused to endorse Brooklyn Democrat Vincent Gentile, the nominee for the Staten Island-based 11th congressional district.

Despite endorsing a failed fellow Brooklyn Democrat candidate in 2014, when asked if he would get involved in the race, Cuomo said:

“Ummmm… You know I normally leave local races to the localities.”

Why won’t Cuomo endorse Gentile, who is running in a crucial special election for Democrats? Could it be because…

Gentile had an absolutely atrocious fundraising haul the last few months?

National Democrats have abandoned him?

A Democratic poll showed a much stronger challenger than Gentile getting walloped in the election?

Gentile’s extremely close relationship with the wildly unpopular New York City mayor Bill De Blasio?

Or perhaps Cuomo simply perused some headlines and articles written about Gentile over the years…

NY 1 Headline, 2015: “Gentile Faces Past As Staten Island Office Controversy Surfaces”

New York Sun Editorial, 2003: “Gentile Runs Against Taxes, Votes For Them”

NY Observer, 2014: “An unassuming presence in the council, Mr. Gentile finally rose to power this year…”

City & State, 2013: “Brooklyn’s Vincent Gentile… has similarly maintained a low profile and has not demonstrated obvious leadership potential…”

City & State, 2013: “So even if Gentile and González win their re-election bids, their roles as the most senior incumbents on the Council will be largely inconsequential, providing enough leverage perhaps to claim the Council offices with a view of the Brooklyn Bridge, but little else.”

I guess we’ll never know…