Opinion: Andrew Cuomo’s Last Stand
Andrew Cuomo, the former governor, has never been fond of debating. However, to have any hope of becoming mayor, he will need to deliver a remarkable debate performance.
Cuomo tends to avoid debating as much as possible, and this aversion stems from his belief that he is above it. This mindset also leads him to limit his interactions with voters. Despite this, under the right circumstances, he can be quite effective in debates, as evident from his past performances.
He avoids debating for the same reason he avoids interacting with voters – he thinks he is above it.
Notably, since being elected state attorney general two decades ago, Cuomo has typically not participated in more than one televised debate per primary or general election. In 2014, he even refused to debate his Democratic primary opponent, Zephyr Teachout, altogether.
Author's summary: Cuomo needs a strong debate to become mayor.