Cuomo confirms debates — but not at Fordham

As he seeks to secure a second term, Gov. Andrew Cuomo, FCRH ’79, has agreed to participate in two debates next month — one in New York City and the other in Buffalo — his re-election campaign announced Saturday.

Neither of the debates will take place at Fordham, as some students had hoped, a university official confirmed for Fordham Daily.

Cuomo will debate his Republican challenger Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, FCRH ’89, in New York City. That debate will be sponsored by WNYC and The Wall Street Journal — and it will not be televised.

(Astorino’s campaign has since come forward, calling for a televised debate in New York City, and rejecting Cuomo’s debate proposals as “insulting to the people of New York State.”)

Cuomo will also debate Astorino, as well as Libertarian candidate Michael McDermott and Green Party nominee Howie Hawkins, in Buffalo. That debate will be sponsored by The Buffalo News and WNED-WBFO.

“Governor Cuomo is looking forward to a robust discussion of ideas at both debates and we want to thank the sponsors for making these events possible,” Matt Wing, a spokesman for Cuomo’s campaign, said in a statement.

USG representatives Tom Samuelson, Evan Swager and Thomas Roemer have championed a social media effort since July to get the Fordham grads to debate on campus. As of Saturday afternoon,  a petition on change.org to hold a debate at Rose Hill had received 117 signatures.

Fordham’s administration had said they would support a debate on campus.

Cuomo defeated Fordham law professor Zephyr Teachout in an unexpectedly competitive primary election earlier this month.