Andrew Cuomo Wins Election Easily, Now Faces Tough Road Ahead As Governor

An easy victory

Andrew Cuomo had no trouble winning the election for New York State Governor on Tuesday. Cuomo defeated Republican candidate Carl Paladino by a 62 to 35 percent victory.

Cuomo, who was formerly New York's Attorney General, led an expensive campaign as the democratic candidate, but was helped out by Paladino's mistakes.

Paladino stated that he opposed abortion, and made several anti-gay statements, which were widely publicized and criticized. These faults gave Cuomo a chance to switch his focus from the economy, to showing his opponent's mistakes, and ultimately helped Cuomo to a victory.

The road ahead

Throughout his campaign, Cuomo focused on two issues in New York: State Government reform, and the state's economy. However, moving in on these issues could take longer than expected due to problems with the State Government, according to  Grant Reeher, a Professor of Politcal Science at Syracuse University.

"The system seems to be fairly resistant to significant changes," Reeher said. "He's going to have to engage in some difficult negotiations with the legislature in order to try to change some of the spending patterns."

Cuomo will have to learn how to cut back government spending; a feat that previous governor David Patterson could not do.

Like father, like son

Cuomo has now taken the position that his father, Mario Cuomo, held from 1983 to 1994. The Cuomos join a list of father-son Governors, which includes: Edmund and Jerry Brown (California), George Romney (Michigan) and Mitt Romney (Massachusetts), and John Folsom sr. and John Folsom jr.  (Alabama).