NY Gov. Paterson drops Gubernatorial election bid

story by AP
written by Michael Gormley
photo by AP

NEW YORK – Less than a week after declaring he would seek a full four-year term, New York Gov. David Paterson abruptly dropped his election bid Friday under pressure from Democrats concerned about his faltering agenda and criticism of his handling of a domestic abuse case involving a trusted aide.

At a news conference in New York City, Paterson cited an accumulation of distractions, but said he had never abused his office.

"But I am being realistic about politics," he said. "It hasn't been the latest distraction ... It's been an accumulation of obstacles that have obfuscated me from bringing my message to the public."

Paterson insisted that he would not resign and said he would serve out his term "fighting for the state of New York."

Paterson became governor in 2008, when former Gov. Eliot Spitzer resigned in a prostitution scandal. His decision to abandon the race paves the way for state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo to make an unimpeded run for the Democratic nomination.

Paterson had publicly prided himself on beating the odds, including overcoming blindness to rise through treacherous New York politics. He formally announced his campaign just last weekend, and his decision to leave the race comes just 19 days short of his 2-year anniversary as governor.