The Democratic Rural Conference drew nearly all of New York State’s major Democratic elected officials to its 2018 annual meeting, with Governor Andrew Cuomo, Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, NYS Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, NYS Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, NYS Senate Democratic Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand leading the elected attendees. Rep. Paul Tonko, Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, NYS Senator Michael Gianaris, Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown and NYC Council Member and candidate for lieutenant governor Jumaane Williams also attended. The DRC is composed of Democrats from small counties who for the past 20 years have worked jointly to increase their impact in state politics.
Hochul, DiNapoli, Schneiderman, Stewart-Cousins and Brown spoke at the DRC’s Friday night dinner, lauding the DRC and looking toward a November “blue wave.” Cuomo held a closed-press reception Friday evening, avoiding reporters as he entered and left through a back door. Gillibrand attended on Saturday, speaking to a a smaller number of remaining attendees in a solo appearance. U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer did not attend.
Video:
Here are the speeches from the meeting’s prime event, a Friday night dinner.
Kathy Hochul:
Tom DiNapoli:
Eric Schneiderman:
Andrea Stewart-Cousins:
Byron Brown:
Geoff Berman:
Patrick Jordan:
Paolo Cremedis:
Tim Perfetti:
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