Cuomo: ‘Extreme conservatives … have no place in the state of New York’
Gov. Andrew Cuomo says the current schism in the state Republican party is a smaller version of the split causing so much damage in Washington, D.C., and that conservative Republicans
have no place in the state of New York, because thats not who New Yorkers are.
In conversation with Susan Arbetter on The Capitol Pressroom Friday morning, Cuomo said:
You have a schism within the Republican Party.
Theyre searching to define their soul, thats whats going on. Is the Republican party in this state a moderate party or is it an extreme conservative party? Thats what theyre trying to figure out. Its a mirror of whats going on in Washington. The gridlock in Washington is less about Democrats and Republicans. Its more about extreme Republicans versus moderate Republicans.
Youre seeing that play out in New York.
The Republican Party candidates are running against the SAFE Act it was voted for by moderate Republicans who run the Senate! Their problem is not me and the Democrats; their problem is themselves. Who are they? Are they these extreme conservatives who are right-to-life, pro-assault-weapon, anti-gay? Is that who they are? Because if thats who they are and theyre the extreme conservatives, they have no place in the state of New York, because thats not who New Yorkers are.
If theyre moderate Republicans like in the Senate right now, who control the Senate moderate Republicans have a place in their state. George Pataki was governor of this state as a moderate Republican; but not what youre hearing from them on the far right.
full: http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/203801/cuomo-extreme-conservatives-have-no-place-in-the-state-of-new-york/