Update 3/19, 6:30 p.m.: Cynthia Nixon has provided Glamour with the following exclusive statement:
“The election of Donald Trump was a wake-up call for women across the country. We’ve realized that if we want real progressive change, we’re going to have to step up and do it ourselves. Because this year, it's not just about electing more Democrats—it's about electing better Democrats. I’ve been humbled and inspired by the thousands of women who are running for office for the first time. And today, I am honored to join their ranks.”
Original story: In the era of a celebrity-as-politician, there are few candidates whose intent to run for office feels legitimate, let alone promising. Today Cynthia Nixon—an ardent education activist and an actress best known for costarring in Sex and the City—has confirmed her intent to run for governor of New York against Andrew M. Cuomo in the forthcoming Democratic primary on September 13, 2018. (A fundraising page and a promotional video for the self-professed "lifelong New Yorker and progressive activist" are also live.)
The speculation surrounding her candidacy has mounted over the past several weeks, with wife Christine Marinoni's resignation from her role as special adviser for community partnerships in New York's Department of Education seemingly the last step in securing Nixon's eligibility.
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And it's a story that will likely captivate a country as divided on politics as it is the covenant of celebrity. Though Nixon, 51, is a fixture in local progressive political circles and famous for having played ambitious lawyer Miranda Hobbes the beloved HBO series, a recent poll finds that the actress is "far from a household name in New York." Says The New York Times: "If a race between Ms. Nixon and Mr. Cuomo does materialize, it would instantly become one of the most intriguing Democratic primaries in the country, pitting a celebrity first-time candidate with an ability to command national media attention versus a two-term incumbent sitting atop $30 million and known for his aggressive political tactics." In addition to education, she is expected to dig into the current administration's much-grumbled-about transportation woes.
A Nixon win would represent a seismic change for the state: New York has never had a female governor (in 2014, academic and political activist Zephyr Teachout launched an independent bid against Cuomo, but lost in the primary), and she would be the first openly-gay person to hold the position. Cuomo has been the governor of New York since 2011. Though the highest state office in New York has no term limit, Cuomo is likely to enter the 2020 presidential race.
