Rob Astorino to Newsmax TV: Cuomo's NY in 'Death Spiral'

Back for another campaign for New York governor against Andrew Cuomo, gubernatorial candidate Rob Astorino said on Newsmax TV, New York "is in a death spiral" and does not have "to put up with this nonsense anymore."

"The cesspool is deeper and smellier," Astorino told Wednesday's "Greg Kelly Reports." "We did run a good race and we did come close in 2014, the closest of Andrew Cuomo's seven statewide races and the polls had us down 35, we lost by 13.

"And this time we're going to get across the finish line because what I was talking about in 2014 has all come true. And maybe we were a little ahead of our time on the corruption and pointing it out.

"Andrew Cuomo, now, there's no doubt that he is not only corrupt, but he's incompetent."

Astorino rejected Cuomo's nursing home mandate, requiring longterm care facilities to take in COVID-19 infected patients when it was apparent the most vulnerable senior populations needed to be shielded at the start of the outbreak.

"We saw what happened during the COVID with 15,000 seniors being put to their death because of an executive order of his, putting them in nursing homes when they weren't equipped to handle that, and then covering it up," Astorino told host Greg Kelly.

"So he's under federal investigation. He's also [under] investigation by the legislature for possible impeachment because of so many different things, including sexual harassment by at least 10 women, many of whom work for him.

"So you know it's not only his personal foibles, it's his incompetence of how he's run New York."

Astorino lamented New York having lost more than seniors to COVID-19 deaths, but also residents due to Cuomo's high-tax policies and mismanagement.

"We are now, you know, leading the states in exits, people running for the exits to go down to Florida, where Gov. [Ron] DeSantis has done a great job," Astorino continued.

"There's no reason in New York we have to put up with this nonsense, this wokeness, this cancel culture, these [protesters] rioting and looting.

"The fact now that the radical left controls Albany, criminals are treated as victims; victims are treated as criminals, and we see the result, I mean, crime is going berserk-o.

"I mean, literally, in Times Square, we're having people shot. So you know, New York City's in a death spiral. New York state is in a death spiral, and we don't need to put up with this nonsense anymore. So you know, I hope people join my campaign."

Astorino hailed his Spanish-speaking background as a bonus for a Republican candidate in a diverse state like New York, vowing to go into communities Republicans have long been afraid to go.

"I speak Spanish, Greg, and I'm going into every neighborhood where Republicans for whatever stupid reason don't go, because we need to have a big party," he continued. "We need to have a big tent and let people in it, because our policies are 100 times better than that of the Democrats, who are doubling down on just miserable, failed high-tax policies that are just crushing the middle class. So, I'm ready to take it to him. I can't wait."

Astorino is not convinced Cuomo will be around for the race, facing impeachment or indictment, but he does believe the governor is a "thick head" and "narcissistic" enough to try to run again regardless.

"I'll tell you, the fail safe is gonna be the people of New York," he concluded. "They're gonna boot him, and I'm gonna be the one that does it next November."

Note: See Newsmax TV now carried in more than 100 million U.S. homes, on DirecTV Ch. 349, Dish Network Ch. 216, Xfinity Ch. 1115, Spectrum, U-verse Ch. 1220, FiOS Ch. 615, Frontier Ch. 115, Optimum Ch. 102, Cox cable, Suddenlink Ch. 102, Mediacom Ch. 277, AT&T TV Ch 349, FUBO and major OTT platforms like Roku, YouTube, Xumo, Pluto and most smart TV’s including Samsung+, Sony, LG, Vizio and more – Find All Systems that Carry Newsmax – Click Here