Andrew Cuomo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Andrew Cuomo
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Cuomo in 2017
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| 56th Governor of New York | |
| In office January 1, 2011 – August 23, 2021 |
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| Lieutenant |
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| Preceded by | David Paterson |
| Succeeded by | Kathy Hochul |
| Chair of the National Governors Association | |
| In office August 5, 2020 – July 8, 2021 |
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| Vice Chair | Asa Hutchinson |
| Preceded by | Larry Hogan |
| Succeeded by | Asa Hutchinson |
| Vice Chair of the National Governors Association | |
| In office July 26, 2019 – August 5, 2020 |
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| Chair | Larry Hogan |
| Preceded by | Larry Hogan |
| Succeeded by | Asa Hutchinson |
| 64th Attorney General of New York | |
| In office January 1, 2007 – December 31, 2010 |
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| Governor | Eliot Spitzer David Paterson |
| Preceded by | Eliot Spitzer |
| Succeeded by | Eric Schneiderman |
| 11th United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development | |
| In office January 29, 1997 – January 20, 2001 |
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| President | Bill Clinton |
| Deputy | Saul N. Ramirez Jr. |
| Preceded by | Henry Cisneros |
| Succeeded by | Mel Martínez |
| Assistant Secretary of Housing and Urban Development for Community Planning and Development | |
| In office May 28, 1993 – January 29, 1997 |
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| President | Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | Skirma Kondratas |
| Succeeded by | Saul N. Ramirez Jr. |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Andrew Mark Cuomo
December 6, 1957 New York City, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | |
| Domestic partner | Sandra Lee (2005–2019) |
| Children | 3 |
| Parents | Mario Cuomo Matilda Raffa |
| Relatives | Cuomo family |
| Education | |
| Occupation |
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| Signature |  |
Andrew Mark Cuomo (born December 6, 1957) is an American politician and lawyer. He served as the 56th governor of New York from 2011 until he resigned in 2021. He is a member of the Democratic Party. His father, Mario Cuomo, was also a governor. Before becoming governor, Andrew Cuomo was the attorney general of New York from 2007 to 2010.
Cuomo was born in Queens, New York City. He studied at Fordham University and Albany Law School. He started his career helping his father's election campaign in 1982. Later, he worked as a lawyer and led the New York City Homeless Commission. From 1993 to 2001, he worked in the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) under President Bill Clinton. He was elected New York attorney general in 2006.
Cuomo won the election for governor of New York in 2010. He was re-elected in 2014 and 2018. As governor, he signed laws to allow same-sex marriage. His administration also oversaw big construction projects. These included the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge and the Second Avenue Subway. He also signed the NY SAFE Act of 2013, a strict gun control law. He also helped expand Medicaid and increased the state's minimum wage. Cuomo received a lot of attention for how he handled the COVID-19 pandemic in New York.
In 2021, Cuomo resigned from his position. His lieutenant governor, Kathy Hochul, became the new governor. When he resigned, he was the longest-serving governor in the United States.
Early Life and Education
Andrew Mark Cuomo was born on December 6, 1957. His birthplace was Queens, a part of New York City. His parents were Mario Cuomo, who later became governor, and Matilda Raffa. His family had roots in Italy. His younger brother, Chris Cuomo, is a well-known journalist.
Cuomo finished high school at Archbishop Molloy High School in 1975. He then earned a degree from Fordham University in 1979. In 1982, he received his law degree from Albany Law School.
Early Career in Public Service
After finishing law school, Cuomo helped his father's successful campaign for governor in 1982. He then worked as a policy advisor for his father's government.
From 1986, Cuomo founded and ran a group called Housing Enterprise for the Less Privileged (HELP). This group worked to help people who were homeless. From 1990 to 1993, he led the New York City Homeless Commission. This group worked on plans to help with homelessness in the city.
Working for HUD
In 1993, President Bill Clinton appointed Cuomo to work at the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). HUD is a government department that helps people with housing and community development. Cuomo first served as an Assistant Secretary.
In 1997, he became the Secretary of HUD. He held this position until 2001. During his time as Secretary, he worked to make housing more affordable. He also aimed to increase home ownership for more people.
One of his actions was to negotiate an agreement with a gun maker, Smith & Wesson. This agreement aimed to make guns safer and keep them out of the hands of children and criminals. He also worked to fight against housing discrimination.
Private Sector Work
From 2001 to 2006, Andrew Cuomo worked outside of government. He worked at a law firm called Fried Frank. Later, he worked for a real estate company called Island Capital.
Running for Governor in 2002
Cuomo first tried to become the Democratic candidate for New York governor in 2002. He was a strong candidate at first. However, his campaign faced challenges after a comment he made about the September 11 attacks. He later withdrew from the race.
New York Attorney General
Election as Attorney General
In 2006, Cuomo decided to run for New York state attorney general. He won the Democratic Party's support. He then won the primary election with a large number of votes. This was seen as a big comeback for him.
In the main election on November 7, 2006, he won against the Republican candidate, Jeanine Pirro. He received 58% of the votes.
His Time as Attorney General
As Attorney General, Cuomo took on important issues.
- Police Surveillance (2007): His office looked into reports that the Spitzer administration had used state police to track a political leader. Cuomo's office said this was wrong.
- Student Loan Inquiry (2007): He investigated how student loans were given out. He found that some universities were guiding students to lenders that charged higher interest rates. This led to changes in how many universities handled student loans.
- Corruption Investigations (2009): Cuomo also investigated a corruption scandal. This involved a plan to get illegal payments from different groups.
Consideration for U.S. Senate
In 2008, when Hillary Clinton became Secretary of State, her Senate seat for New York became open. Governor David Paterson had to choose someone to fill the seat temporarily. Andrew Cuomo was considered a top choice for this role. However, Governor Paterson chose Kirsten Gillibrand for the position.
Gubernatorial Elections
2010 Election
On May 22, 2010, Andrew Cuomo announced he would run for governor. He chose Robert Duffy as his running mate for lieutenant governor.
In the election on November 2, 2010, Cuomo ran against Republican Carl Paladino. Cuomo won the election by a large margin, getting 62.6% of the votes. He won strongly in the eastern part of the state and in New York City.
2014 Election
Cuomo ran for re-election in 2014. His new running mate was Kathy Hochul. He won his second term as governor with 54% of the votes.
2018 Election
Cuomo ran for a third term in 2018. He faced a challenge from Cynthia Nixon in the Democratic primary. He won the primary election.
On November 6, 2018, the Cuomo-Hochul team won the general election. They defeated their opponents with 59.6% of the votes.
Governor of New York (2011–2021)
Cuomo became governor on January 1, 2011. In his first year, he worked on the state budget. He also signed laws for ethics reform and a property tax cap. He also helped pass the same-sex marriage bill.
In 2018, his approval rating dropped to 43 percent. This was the lowest it had been during his time as governor. However, by early 2020, his approval rating went up to 77 percent, which was a record high.
Business Incentives
Cuomo supported giving tax breaks to attract businesses to New York State. He even joked about changing his name to "Amazon Cuomo" if Amazon chose New York for its new headquarters. Some people criticized this idea, saying the costs to the state were too high.
Environment
In 2017, Cuomo announced that the Indian Point nuclear plant would close. This plant provided a lot of power to New York City. When it closed, the power was replaced by energy from fossil fuels, which produce more greenhouse gases.
Gun Control
On January 15, 2013, Cuomo signed the NY SAFE Act into law. This law was described as one of the toughest gun control laws in the United States. It aimed to make communities safer.
Hurricane Sandy Response
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After Hurricane Sandy hit in October 2012, Cuomo allowed New York voters to cast ballots anywhere in the state if they were displaced. He also set up a group to look into how New York's utility companies responded to the storm.
Some people criticized the Cuomo administration for spending $140 million on TV ads. These ads promoted New York outside the state to attract new businesses. Critics said this was a waste of taxpayer money.
Hydraulic Fracturing (Fracking)
In 2012, Cuomo's administration considered allowing hydraulic fracturing (also known as "fracking") in upstate New York. This was to help the economy. However, after a study showed "significant public health risks," Cuomo announced a ban on fracking in New York State in December 2014.
New York City Subway
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In June 2017, after many subway problems, Cuomo declared a "state of emergency" for the New York City Subway system. There were reports that past leaders, including Cuomo, were partly responsible for the subway's declining quality. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) sometimes used money meant for subways for other things. This led to debt and problems with updating the subway system.
College Tuition
On April 18, 2017, Cuomo signed a budget that included the Excelsior Scholarship. This scholarship allowed families earning less than $125,000 to have free tuition at all SUNY and CUNY universities.
Public Employees
In July 2011, Cuomo reached an agreement with the Public Employees Federation. This deal involved changes to pay raises and health insurance for state workers.
Public Housing
In 2018, Cuomo responded to a lawsuit about poor conditions in public housing units. He appointed an independent monitor to oversee the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA).
Same-Sex Marriage
Cuomo signed the Marriage Equality Act on June 24, 2011. This law allowed same-sex marriage in New York. He was praised for his efforts to pass this law. He also called for all other states to allow same-sex marriage.
Taxes
Cuomo was recognized for changing New York State's tax laws in 2011. In 2021, he signed a tax increase for high-income workers and corporations.
Voting Rights
In April 2018, Cuomo announced that he would restore voting rights for people on parole. This was done through an executive order.
After Being Governor
Cuomo officially retired and began receiving a state pension in September 2021.
On March 3, 2022, Cuomo made his first public appearance since resigning. He gave a speech where he spoke about "cancel culture" and hinted at a possible return to politics. He said that his actions as governor did not break any laws.
In February 2023, Andrew Cuomo spoke about issues at the Mexican border. He also commented on migrants being moved to different places within the United States.
There have been rumors that Cuomo might run for mayor of New York City in 2025.
Personal Life
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Cuomo married Kerry Kennedy on June 9, 1990. She is the daughter of Robert F. Kennedy. They had three daughters: Cara, Mariah, and Michaela. They separated in 2003 and divorced in 2005.
In 2005, Cuomo began dating Food Network host Sandra Lee. They lived together in Westchester County, New York. In September 2019, they announced they had ended their relationship.
Cuomo is a Roman Catholic. He drives a 1968 Pontiac GTO car.
See Also
In Spanish: Andrew Cuomo para niños
Images for kids
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Cuomo with Elijah Cummings and Paul Sarbanes in 1998
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Cuomo as HUD Secretary with Treasury Secretary Larry Summers in June 2000
