Cuomo Rallies Bellone Supporters in Suffolk

Babylon Town Supervisor Steve Bellone (left), the Democratic candidate for Suffolk County executive, was endorsed last month in Huntington by Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo came to Long Island a second time Wednesday to lend his support to fellow Democrat Steve Bellone, the Babylon Town Supervisor running for county executive against Republican County Treasurer Angie Carpenter.

During his last visit, Cuomo officially endorsed Bellone for the position. On Wednesday he declared Bellone the “next county executive.”

“Our vision, of this world, of this state, of this county, is different than there vision,” Cuomo said at the IBEW Local 25 electrical workers union hall in Hauppauge. “We do see a collective future and a progressive future and we are working toward that.”

Hundreds of supporters and a handful of other Democrats entrenched in their own races joined the rally.

Cuomo and Bellone shared the stage with Suffolk Democratic Chairman Rich Schaffer and William Lindsay (D-Holbrook), presiding officer of the legislature, where Democrats have had the majority since 2005

Supporters at Steve Bellone rally in Hauppauge.

“We’re going to have a county executive that we can work with,” said Lindsay, who has butted heads with outgoing county executive Steve Levy.

With less than a week left in the race, Bellone used his time to recapitulate many of his points that he’s made on the campaign trail: His “Wyandanch Rising” project, accountability in government, and reducing debt in the Town of Babylon.

“I happen to be from the party that understands government matters and that it effects people’s lives,” said Bellone, “and therefore it matters that we operate government as efficiently as possible.”

Cuomo said: “We have a different world view and a different way of getting there and a different picture of what success is for this county and this state…and that’s what Tuesday is all about.”

As Carpenter’s camp did in September, they shrugged off Cuomo’s endorsement as a desperate attempt to rally supporters.

“What that tells me is that Bellone knows he’s in trouble,” said Carpenter’s senior communication adviser, Rob Ryan. “When you pull someone like that in at the last minute.”