Cuomo Rejects Favorite-Son Campaign Plan

Gov. Mario M. Cuomo slammed the door Monday on an effort to make him a favorite-son candidate in New York’s April 7 Democratic presidential primary.

Cuomo said in a statement that he did not want to be considered “because of the current intensity of the state’s fiscal difficulties, and for the good of the party.”

Cuomo had announced on Dec. 20 that he would not run for President. But on Sunday, several New York Democratic county chairmen met to plan a Cuomo favorite-son candidacy. Cuomo said Monday that he “gratefully and respectfully declines to be considered.”

State Democratic Chairman John Marino, a longtime Cuomo adviser, had said the aim was to “unite” the New York party, but others at the meeting said they hoped it would be a springboard to get Cuomo into the presidential race.

Cuomo’s statement Monday came less than two hours after the credit rating on some New York state bonds was lowered because of the inability of the governor and legislative leaders to agree on a plan for addressing state budget shortfalls.