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Former State Sen. Gipson Launches Campaign Committee For Governor

Terry Gipson, who served one term as state senator in Dutchess and Putnam, is one step closer to primarying Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

Terry Gipson

Terry Gipson

Photo Credit: File

Gipson launched a campaign committee Thursday, which will allow him to raise money to challenge Cuomo in a Democratic primary. Cuomo is running for a third term.

I don't see our governor being a strong leader," Gipson said back in August. "Our future is in danger."

While he was in the state senate, Gipson said the executive office was not helpful in getting progressive legislation to move forward, despite being a Democratic governor in a Democratic-leaning state.

"We need to look at things that will help a wide variety of New Yorkers," Gipson said. "We are allowing the federal government to threaten our health care, why isn't our state doing something about it? We now have a conservative Supreme Court, why hasn't the governor gotten behind a woman's right to choose?

Gipson said he would also like to see universal voter registration and campaign finance reform.

"We need to get corporate money out of our government," Gipson said. "These are all progressive ideas and the governor has not taken a leadership role.

The progressive wave Bernie Sanders created in 2016 is one Gipson hopes to use if he chooses to run. He said he plans to rally grassroots organizations behind his campaign.

"That wave is still alive and very much growing," Gipson said. "We can do really great things for our state."

In 2014, Cuomo was challenged in a primary by Zephyr Teachout before defeating Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino to win a second term in the general election. Astorino and Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro are considering challenging Cuomo on the Republican line.

The former state senator served in the 41st district from 2012 to 2014 before he was defeated by Sue Serino. He challenged Serino again in 2016 but lost.

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