Liberal radio host Bill Press on Monday slammed New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's (D.) chances of winning the 2020 Democratic nomination for president, saying "Nobody likes him."
Press' remark came during a discussion with New Republic writer Graham Vyse about the intraparty conflicts of the Democratic party and how progressives candidates are being challenged by moderate Democrats like Rep. Conor Lamb (D., Penn.), who recently won a special election in the 18th Congressional District.
"I believe that the progressives are right. A more progressive candidate can win in districts where we might have didn't think they could before," Press said. "At the same time, a guy like Conor Lamb fit the district that he ran in, and that's the most important."
On the topic of the Democratic primary for New York's gubernatorial race, Press said a Democrat could "be a lot more to the left than Cuomo is" and get elected in the blue state. Former "Sex and the City" actress Cynthia Nixon is running further to the left on the ideological scale than Cuomo.
"In this case, a lot depends on whether [Nixon] can get the support, she can raise the money, she can have the impact," Press said. "From what I hear from people in New York, Andrew Cuomo basically — nobody likes him. Have you noticed that with all the talk of 2020, I never hear his name?"
"You used to. Not anymore," producer Peter Ogburn said.
Vyse went on to say Cuomo had a reputation earlier in his tenure of stymieing progressive priorities and that he tended to align himself with an independent caucus of moderate Democrats.
"I would worry about Andrew Cuomo in 2020, in terms of his prospects," Vyse said.
Cuomo has been floated as a potential presidential contender in 2020 despite routinely dodging questions about his presidential aspirations. A Washington Post analysis of the "top 15 Democratic hopefuls for 2020" from March noted Cuomo has "more immediate concerns" but still included him in its 11th spot.
He has received campaign donations from companies and wealthy donors ranging from big Albany, N.Y. lobbying shops and real estate developers to Hollywood moguls and pharmaceutical companies.
Updated 10:13 PM: This has been updated to attribute the above quote to Peter Ogburn.