Cynthia Nixon will ring in a new era of progressivism as New York governor.

In the upcoming primaries for New York’s gubernatorial race, Democrats will have to choose between Nixon or current Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who represents the old guard of the Democratic party.

New York deserves a future that involves an honest governor working on behalf of every New Yorker, not just the ones donating to their campaign. Nixon — an acclaimed actress best known for her role as Miranda Hobbes in HBO’s Sex and the City — is an outspoken activist. The first thing a leader needs is a vision, and Nixon has that. She has a vision of a better New York that puts the welfare of all New Yorkers first, not just those in New York City.

Cuomo’s vision isn’t for the state, but his own political agenda, while Nixon offers new leadership that highlight the issues with the deepest impact on the most marginalized communities.

Nixon recently posted a video on Twitter, calling for the legalization of marijuana due to the fact that people of color are disproportionately affected by the drug laws dating back to the 1980s. Nixon has also focused her platform on strengthening laws protecting low-income renters and homeowners and focusing on addressing economic inequality plaguing New Yorkers, especially in Syracuse.

Jordan Lally, president of SU’s College Democrats, argues Nixon is a refreshing face for the Democratic party.

“She’s doing and saying all the right things,” Lally said.

Despite her platform, Democratic party leaders criticize her candidacy due to her celebrity status, likening her to President Donald Trump’s reality television past. Former New York City Councilwoman Christine Quinn called Cynthia Nixon “an unqualified lesbian,” erasing Nixon’s bisexuality. But Quinn also tries to use Nixon’s celebrity status to disqualify her in the governor’s race.

Lally said that while experience boosts her credentials, Nixon’s celebrity status doesn’t detract from her ability to create proactive change.

“While I wish she had experience in a lower level of government, no. Her celebrity status absolutely does not disqualify her,” Lally said.

Experience in Albany would be great, but it’s certainly not a requirement and shouldn’t be mandated for someone to be taken seriously. Look no further to the president of the United States for that.

To say celebrities can’t run for office is hypocritical when you consider how heavily the Democratic party has relied on celebrity activism. They’ve been used by the Democratic candidates for fundraising, advertisements, lobbying, activism and have even been asked to headline major events for nominees.

What separates Nixon from Cuomo is her emphasis on corruption. She’s been bold enough to criticize the Cuomo administration for being soft on corruption, and for being corrupt as a whole.

Cuomo has consistently shown he will only do what is politically expedient. Even then, he won’t go far enough. Take free tuition, $15 minimum wage, housing, the economy or any other issue and you will see Cuomo is only doing what will make him viable as a presidential candidate, rather than what’s best for the people of New York.

Ryan Golden is a freshman policy studies and religion dual major. His column appears biweekly. He can be reached at rjgolden@syr.edu and on Twitter @RyanJGolden.

Published on April 23, 2018 at 9:17 pm