Younger Cuomo abandons New York governor's race

NEW YORK -- Just a week before the primary, former U.S. Housing Secretary Andrew Cuomo abandoned his sinking campaign for governor Tuesday and threw his support to a fellow Democrat in the race for the job once held by Cuomo's father.

The withdrawal cleared the way for state Comptroller H. Carl McCall to challenge two-term Gov. George Pataki, the Republican who ousted Mario Cuomo eight years ago.

The younger Cuomo had had a commanding early lead in the polls, but by the time he dropped out, he was trailing McCall by more than 20 points.

Cuomo, 44, had failed to win support from such high-profile Democrats as Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and had committed a series of missteps -- the most visible coming when he charged that Pataki had merely held Mayor Rudolph Giuliani's coat in the aftermath of Sept. 11. Even Cuomo's father called the remark a political mistake.

Cuomo said advisers had told him he could cut the gap in the polls and maybe win by attacking McCall, but he refused. Citing the upcoming anniversary of the terrorist attacks, the former Clinton administration Cabinet member said: "We need healing now, maybe more than ever before.

"I will not close a gap in an election by opening one in the body politic," Cuomo said at a news conference, surrounded by family and friends, including his father and former President Bill Clinton.

McCall, the only black candidate ever elected to statewide office in New York, later thanked Cuomo and welcomed his support.

According to polls, Pataki holds a strong lead over either Democrat.

While the Clintons are officially neutral in the primary, there had been signs that they were leaning toward McCall.

Cuomo entered the race as the favorite last year and quickly outpaced the comptroller in fundraising. Not only did he have a famous New York name, but he was also married to a member of the Kennedy family and had worked for Clinton.

But while Cuomo had served as his father's top political adviser for years, the race was his first as a candidate.

Besides drawing widespread criticism for questioning Pataki's leadership, Cuomo stunned Democrats by dropping out of the state convention and deciding instead to collect voter signatures to get on the primary ballot.

McCall, 66, in contrast, has run a steady campaign focusing on his rise out of poverty, a long resume that includes a stint as a deputy ambassador to the United Nations, and his promise to improve education.

CANDIDATE SUES PATAKI: Billionaire candidate B. Thomas Golisano sued New York Gov. George Pataki for $45-million Tuesday, saying he was libeled in a botched Pataki campaign mailing.

The suit, filed in New York state Supreme Court, names the governor and his campaign as defendants over an August mailing made by Friends of Pataki (Independence Party).

The mailing attacks Golisano over workers he hired to gather petitions for the Sept. 10 state Conservative Party primary, and says: "Golisano's campaign is so filled with deception, you can't believe a thing you hear."

Under an item headlined "Tom Golisano's Running Mate is Running From Justice," the mailing also says: "Facing felony charges, Tom Golisano has fled New York State and moved to Connecticut."

The item was about Daniel Mahony, whom Golisano favored as a running mate. But after questions arose about Mahony possibly voting illegally in New York, he said he had moved to Connecticut and was no longer eligible to run for office in New York.

Pataki campaign spokeswoman Mollie Fullington said Mahony's name was accidentally omitted from the mailing.

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