BUFFALO, N.Y. — Governor Andrew Cuomo took a bit of a victory lap Friday with reporters following a convincing win against Cynthia Nixon in the Democratic gubernatorial primary.

 "I think I received more votes in the Democratic primary than any governor in history and it was all across the state. It was all age groups. It was all demographics so I think it was a very loud and clear and powerful statement," he said.

Cuomo touted New York under his administration as the progressive capital of the country and claimed Democrats came out in droves motivated by fear and anger toward President Donald Trump.

"In November, I will bet you, wager you today, you're going to see that same dynamic all across the political spectrum because Trump is raising taxes not just on Democrats. He's raising taxes on Democrats and Republicans and Independents and Conservatives," he said.

Friday in Buffalo, Republican gubernatorial candidate Marc Molinaro rejected the idea that the strong turnout was a bad sign for his campaign. He said there were a number of reasons voters went to the polls including an effort to defeat former members of the state Senate's Independent Democratic Conference and energy created by the governor and lieutenant governor challengers.

"There's a real opportunity to energize and connect because I believe at the end of the day government should work for the people and that regardless of party, regardless of length of residency, where you come from who you love or how you pray, you deserve a seat at the table," Molinaro said.

Even following the election, the governor continues to face questions about why his former aide Larry Schwartz approved an inflammatory mailer linking Nixon to anti-Semitism. Cuomo said Schwartz did not see the negative portion of the literature.


"We did not have a comprehensive review process for the mailings. The party changed that. It was a mistake. It was an error," Cuomo said.

"I do not believe for a moment that somebody saw one side of a mailer and   didn't ask the question: What's on the other side? Beyond that I can offer to you there are few people closer to the governor, not in jail, than Larry Schwartz," Molinaro said.